The Trump administration has ordered an indefinite suspension of immigrant visa processing for people from 75 countries, significantly tightening access to legal migration to the United States. The freeze is due to take effect on 21 January, according to a state department cable seen by The Guardian.
United States officials say the pause applies to applicants considered likely to become a "public charge", meaning they could rely on government benefits for basic needs. In a statement posted on social media, the state department said visa processing would stop for countries whose migrants were said to use welfare at what it called unacceptable rates.
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The administration said the freeze would remain in place until it could ensure new immigrants would not place a financial burden on United States taxpayers. The affected countries include Brazil, Iran, Russia and Somalia, among dozens of others across Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The move comes as Trump intensifies his immigration crackdown during his second term. Officials say more than 100,000 visas have been revoked since he returned to office, while hundreds of thousands of people have been deported or have left the country voluntarily amid stepped up enforcement.