The Trump administration on Wednesday announced it is imposing an indefinite pause on immigrant visa processing from 75 countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Russia, restricting legal routes for entering the U.S.
In a statement, the State Department said Washington wants to bring “an end to the abuse” of the system “by those who would extract wealth from the American people” by using welfare and public benefits. The order takes effect on Jan. 21.
“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,” said Tommy Pigott, Principal Deputy spokesperson for the U.S. State Department. He said visa processing for immigrants would remain paused until the U.S. reassesses its procedures “to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”
The suspension would not apply to non-immigrant, temporary tourist or business visas. In a report, the Associated Press has said the State Department has instructed consular officers to halt immigrant visa applications from the affected countries.
The full list of countries, according to Fox News, comprises of 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.
The pause comes amid the sweeping immigration crackdown pursued by Donald Trump since taking office last January. In November, Trump had vowed to “permanently pause” migration from all “Third World Countries” following a shooting near the White House by an Afghan national that killed a National Guard member.