U.S. Halts Immigrant Visa Issuance for 75 Nations Amid Tightened Immigration Policies

On Wednesday, the United States announced it would halt the processing of immigrant visas for 75 countries, including Russia, marking President Donald Trump’s latest action against foreign nationals aspiring to come to America.

Historically, the U.S. has denied visas to individuals who seem likely to require government assistance. However, the State Department indicated it will now apply its authority to implement a blanket suspension of immigrant visas based on nationality.

«The Trump administration is putting an end to the exploitation of America’s immigration system by those looking to benefit financially from the American public,» said State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

«Processing of immigrant visas for these 75 nations will be put on hold while the State Department reevaluates immigration processing procedures to ensure that foreign nationals unlikely to contribute positively to society do not enter the country,» he added.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on X that among the affected nations would be Somalia, which Trump has criticized vehemently following a funding scandal involving immigrants in Minnesota, as well as Russia and Iran.

Leavitt shared a Fox News article mentioning that other impacted countries would include several nations with friendly ties to the U.S., such as Brazil, Egypt, and Thailand.

The State Department has not yet provided a complete list of the countries involved.

The U.S. had previously reduced most visa services for Russians at its embassy in Moscow, the sole operational U.S. diplomatic mission in the country, in 2021.

By 2025, the State Department was advising Russian citizens applying for nonimmigrant U.S. visas to conduct their interviews in Poland or Kazakhstan, while individuals seeking immigrant visas were required to do so at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw.

Trump has openly expressed his wish to limit immigration from non-European backgrounds. He infamously referred to Somalis as «garbage,» suggesting they should «return to where they came from,» while expressing a preference for Scandinavian immigrants.

The State Department reported on Monday that it has annulled over 100,000 visas since Trump’s return to office, marking a record for a single year.

Last month, the Department of Homeland Security announced that the Trump administration has deported more than 605,000 individuals, with another 2.5 million leaving voluntarily.

This recent decision does not pertain to tourist, business, or other types of visas, including those for soccer fans intending to attend this year’s World Cup. Nevertheless, the Trump administration has pledged to review the social media histories of all applicants.