A common view of a U.S. State Division signal outdoors the U.S. State Division constructing in Washington D.C. on Jul. 11, 2025. Reuters-Yonhap
WASHINGTON — America mentioned Wednesday it was suspending the processing of immigrant visas from 75 nations, President Donald Trump’s newest transfer in opposition to foreigners searching for to return to America.
America has lengthy rejected visas from individuals who seem prone to find yourself needing authorities welfare, however the State Division mentioned it could now use the identical authority for a blanket suspension of immigrant visas based mostly on nationality.
“The Trump administration is bringing an finish to the abuse of America’s immigration system by those that would extract wealth from the American folks,” State Division spokesman Tommy Pigott mentioned.
“Immigrant visa processing from these 75 nations can be paused whereas the State Division reassesses immigration processing procedures to stop the entry of overseas nationals who would take welfare and public advantages,” he mentioned.
White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X that the nations affected would come with Somalia — whose folks Trump has attacked in heated phrases after immigrants have been concerned in a funding scandal in Minnesota — in addition to Russia and Iran.
A US official mentioned that the opposite nations affected would come with numerous nations with pleasant relations with the US, together with Brazil, Egypt and Thailand.
Different nations to face the pause embrace Nigeria — Africa’s most populous nation — in addition to Iraq and Yemen, the official mentioned.
The State Division didn’t instantly launch a full checklist of nations.
Trump has made no secret of his want to scale back immigration by people who find themselves not of European descent. He has described Somalis as “rubbish” who ought to “return to the place they got here from” and as a substitute mentioned he was open to Scandinavians shifting to the US.
The State Division mentioned Monday that it has revoked greater than 100,000 visas since Trump’s return, a one-year file.
The Division of Homeland Safety final month mentioned that the Trump administration has deported greater than 605,000 folks, and that 2.5 million others left on their very own.
The most recent transfer doesn’t have an effect on vacationer, enterprise or different visas, together with for soccer followers searching for to go to for this yr’s World Cup, though the Trump administration has vowed to vet all candidates’ social media histories.
