The State Department said Wednesday it will suspend processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries.
And according to foreign media, reports the Telegraph, refers to citizens whose Donald Trump administration has deemed likely to need public assistance while living in the United States.
The State Department, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said it had instructed consular officials to halt immigrant visa applications from the affected countries in line with a broader order issued in November that tightened rules around potential immigrants who could become "public charges" in the US.
The suspension, which will begin on January 21, will not apply to applicants seeking non-immigrant visas, or temporary tourist or business visas, which make up the vast majority of visa applicants.
Thus, as the media predicts, the demand for non-immigrant visas is expected to increase significantly in the coming months and years due to the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games, both of which will be hosted or co-hosted in the US.
"The Trump administration is ending the abuse of America's immigration system by those who would take advantage of the American people," the department said in a statement.
"Immigrant visa processing from these 75 countries will be suspended while the State Department reevaluates immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would receive welfare and public benefits."
Recall that the administration of President Donald Trump has already severely restricted the processing of immigrant and non-immigrant visas for citizens of dozens of countries, many of them in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
The November guidelines on which Wednesday's decision is based directed U.S. Embassy and consulate officials to comprehensively and thoroughly screen visa applicants to demonstrate that they will not need to rely on public benefits from the government at any time after their admission to the United States.
While federal law already required those seeking permanent residency or legal status to prove they would not be a public burden, Trump in his first term expanded the range of benefit programs that could disqualify applicants, and the guidelines in the cable appear to go further in scope.
Thus, immigrants seeking to enter the US now undergo a medical examination by a doctor who has been approved by a US Embassy.
They are screened for communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis, and are asked to disclose any history of drug or alcohol use, mental health conditions, or violence. They must also have a number of vaccinations.
And the new directive expanded them with more specific requirements.
She said consular officials must consider a number of specific details about people seeking visas, including age, health, family status, finances, education, skills and any previous use of public assistance regardless of country.
She also emphasized that they need to assess applicants' English skills and can do so by conducting interviews in English.
Experts said at the time that this could further restrict who can enter the country at a time when the Republican administration is already tightening these rules.
Meanwhile, a list of countries affected by the suspension announced on Wednesday has also been published, which are: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, North Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of 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. /Telegrafi/
