By JENNY SMITH, Staff Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department made an announcement on Wednesday that they will be pausing the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries who are likely to rely on public assistance while living in the United States.
Under the leadership of Secretary Marco Rubio, the State Department has directed consular officers to stop processing immigrant visa applications from these countries. This decision aligns with a previous order issued in November that aimed to tighten rules around potential immigrants who may become a “public charge” in the U.S.
Starting on January 21, the suspension will only affect immigrant visa applicants and will not impact those seeking non-immigrant visas for tourism or business purposes.
In a statement, the department emphasized the Trump administration’s commitment to ending the exploitation of America’s immigration system by individuals looking to benefit from public resources. The pause in immigrant visa processing for these 75 countries is part of a larger effort to reevaluate immigration procedures and prevent the entry of foreign nationals seeking welfare and public benefits.
While the specific countries affected by this pause were not disclosed in the statement, it is known that the Trump administration has already placed significant restrictions on visa processing for citizens of numerous countries, particularly in Africa.
An anonymous U.S. official mentioned that countries like Russia, Iran, Somalia, Afghanistan, Brazil, and Egypt are among those included on the list. However, the official noted that the complete list has not been publicly released yet.
