Here’s a dose of geography for the day. The Trump administration has ordered a pause on immigrant visa processing for nationals from 75 countries, according to a State Department announcement issued Wednesday.
Seventy Five countries. The host of the 2026 World Cup just said, if you are from these countries and are looking for immigration visas, you’re out of luck. What a time to be alive.
Officials said the decision is tied to concerns about the use of public assistance programs. In explaining the move, the State Department argued that immigrants from the listed countries “take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates.”
Public assistance programs, they said.
Get this, a U.S. official confirmed the wide ranging list of countries are Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.
Something tells me this list will expand soon.
Wonder how many of these countries will stop issuing visas to Americans looking to visit their nations let alone immigrate.
Get this, the suspension represents a further tightening of immigration policy under President Trump, following earlier actions that included deportations and freezes on certain visa categories. Immigrant visa processing for the affected countries will be stopped “while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits,” principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement.
Pigott framed the policy as a corrective measure, stating, “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.” He added, “The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people.”
Federal law already limits access to benefits for most immigrants. Green card holders, for example, typically face a five-year waiting period before becoming eligible for food stamps, non-emergency Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
The suspension applies only to immigrant visas for individuals seeking permanent residence. Temporary visas for tourists, students, and short-term workers are not affected, including visas tied to international events such as the World Cup.
A U.S. official confirmed the affected countries span Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the Caribbean, Asia, and Latin America, including Afghanistan, Brazil, Egypt, Somalia, Haiti, Nigeria, Russia, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, among many others.
So, if you were’nt already, are you paying attention yet?