Today the U.S. Department of State announced via social media that it will suspend immigrant visa (IV) processing from 75 countries. Immigrant visa processing refers to the final step of the permanent residency or “green card” process when it is being conducted at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad. Today’s announcement suspending immigrant visa processing does not apply to nonimmigrant visa stamp applications (B-2, F-1, H-1B, L-1, O-1, etc.), nor does it apply to adjudications by USCIS in the U.S.
A number of media sources are reporting details from an internal State Department cable which is not yet available to the public. These sources list the 75 countries impacted as follows. Note that a number of these countries are also currently subject to full or partial travel bans from earlier presidential proclamations.
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*
*Currently included on full travel ban list
**Currently included on partial travel ban list
The Guardian reports that it has obtained a copy of the cable and “exceptions include dual nationals with a valid passport for a country not on the list or if the applicant is able to demonstrate their travel would service an ‘America First’ national interest. See The full list of 75 countries where Trump is suspending visa processing | US politics | The Guardian
The suspension is ostensibly to address concerns that individuals from these countries are likely to utilize public benefits upon arriving in the US, although most Lawful Permanent Residents are not eligible for federally funded social assistance programs for 5 years from the date of admission to the United States.
“The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates. The freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people,” the Department said in a social media post Wednesday.
In a follow-up post the Department stated “We are working to ensure the generosity of the American people will no longer be abused.”
The above posts were followed by a post announcing that the State Department is freezing all immigration from Somalia, allegedly because “an internal investigation found that the ‘vast majority of Somali migrants take welfare once present in the United States.’” This follows yesterday’s announcement of Termination of Temporary Protected Status for Somali nationals, requiring affected individuals to depart the United States by March 17, 2026 unless they are able to secure another lawful immigration status. Homeland Security Terminates Somalia’s Temporary Protected Status Designation | USCIS
Today’s action also follows a proposal announced in November to strengthen the grounds for inadmissibility to the United States based on “public charge,” a term for someone who relies on government benefits for their basic needs. See IMMIGRATION UPDATE 11.26.25 – Larrabee Albi Coker | Immigration Law for Innovators
The public charge ground of inadmissibility has been part of US law since the very first Immigration Act of 1882. The November cable directed an expansion of the public charge reasons for excluding visa applicants beyond the current requirements of a medical exam, required vaccines, and screening procedures. The cable stated that “medical conditions including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, and mental health conditions—can require hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of care.” The cable also includes obesity and age in the list of conditions visa officers should consider, along with the health of dependent family members and potential future scenarios. The cable encourages officers to speculate: “Does the applicant have adequate financial resources to cover the costs of such care over his entire expected lifespan without seeking public cash assistance or long-term institutionalization at government expense?”
This is the latest effort to curtail legal immigration, particularly from countries the president has deemed a threat to national security. Last month, the administration expanded a full or partial travel ban on entry to the United States to citizens of 39 countries, in addition to holders of Palestinian Authority travel documents, a move that came after an Afghan immigrant was charged in the November shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C.
The administration has also paused all asylum cases processed by USCIS, suspended all USCIS adjudications for nationals of the 39 countries referenced above, and suspended all immigration-related requests from Afghan nationals.
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These are challenging times in the world of immigration. LAC stands firmly by the principle that diversity strengthens both our business and the communities we serve. We remain dedicated to supporting you, our clients, in times of opportunity as well as times of uncertainty. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your LAC attorney as needed. We will continue to provide updates as they become available.
This update was prepared by Fausta M. Albi, Partner – Larrabee Albi Coker LLP