Trump administration pauses immigrant visa processing for 75 countries

BBC News - WorldEN 2 min read 100% complete January 14, 2026 at 07:29 PM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

The Trump administration is indefinitely pausing immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, effective January 21st. The State Department, under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stated the move aims to prevent immigrants from exploiting public benefits and becoming a public charge. While the full list of affected countries is not yet public, the order does not impact non-immigrant visas like tourist or business visas. This action follows increased restrictions on migration from countries deemed national security threats, including Russia, Iran, and Afghanistan. The administration has also previously halted immigrant visa processing for Brazil, Iran, Russia, and Somalia, and has expanded travel bans to additional countries and those with Palestinian Authority-issued documents.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Palestinian Authority 30% Marco Rubio 40% Washington, DC 40% Somalia 50% Brazil 50% Tommy Pigott ×250% Iran ×260% Afghanistan ×260% Russia ×260% State Department ×570% United States ×580% Donald Trump ×290%

Keywords

immigrant visa processing 100% immigration 90% public charge 80% welfare 70% public benefits 70% travel ban 60% state department 50% national security 40%