The Trump administration will suspend immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries starting January 21 as part of its intensified immigration crackdown, the U.S. State Department said.
Officials said the pause aims to reassess procedures to prevent potential immigrants who may become a public charge and rely on U.S. welfare benefits.
The suspension will affect countries across Latin America, Europe, South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, but will not cover visitor visas.
The move follows stricter screening policies, including enhanced social media vetting, and comes after more than 100,000 visas have already been revoked since Trump returned to office.
Immigration experts warned the decision could block nearly half of all legal immigrants, potentially turning away about 315,000 applicants in the next year.
Source: PhilNews24 | January 15, 2026
