The United States has suspended immigrant visa processing from 75 countries, President Donald Trump’s latest attempt to restrict foreign arrivals, according to a Euronews report.
The State Department said Wednesday it will use authority previously applied to individual visa rejections—blocking people likely to need government welfare—for a blanket ban based on nationality.
“The Trump administration is bringing an end to the abuse of America’s immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.
“Immigrant visa processing from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X that affected countries include Somalia, which Trump has attacked after immigrants were involved in a Minnesota funding scandal, as well as Russia and Iran.
Leavitt linked to a Fox News article listing other countries hit by the suspension, including US allies Brazil, Egypt and Thailand.
The State Department did not immediately release the full list of 75 countries.
Trump has openly sought to reduce immigration by people who are not of European descent. He has called Somalis “garbage” who should “go back to where they came from” whilst saying he would welcome Scandinavians.
The State Department said Monday it has revoked more than 100,000 visas since Trump’s return to office, a one-year record.
The Department of Homeland Security said last month the Trump administration has deported more than 605,000 people, with another 2.5 million leaving voluntarily.
The suspension does not cover tourist, business or other visas, including for football fans travelling to this year’s World Cup, though the Trump administration has pledged to vet all applicants’ social media accounts.
(information from Euronews)
