By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The United States is suspending immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, including Pakistan, starting Jan. 21, as the Trump administration intensifies its enforcement of rules aimed at barring immigrants deemed likely to rely on public welfare programs, the State Department announced on Wednesday.
The move, which affects all categories of immigrant visas — from family reunifications to employment-based and diversity lottery entries — represents an unprecedented expansion of the long-standing “public charge” provision in immigration law. Officials described it as a core element of President Trump’s “America First” agenda, designed to protect American taxpayers from what they characterized as undue burdens. “We are working to ensure the generosity of the American people will no longer be abused,” a State Department official said.
“The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates,” the department stated in a post on X. It added that the freeze would persist “until the US can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people,” noting that immigrants from these nations “often become public charges on the United States upon arrival.” No timeline has been set for completing the reassessment or lifting the pause, leaving applicants in limbo. The department pledged to notify countries when the review concludes.
In a statement, department spokesperson Tommy Piggott elaborated that the agency “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.” “Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits,” he added.
The suspension, first reported by Fox News based on an internal State Department memo, directs consular officers worldwide to refuse visas under existing legal authorities during the review. Exceptions will be “very limited” and granted only if applicants can demonstrate they won’t become dependent on government aid. The affected nations span Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Eastern Europe, encompassing a diverse array of allies and adversaries. Among them are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Egypt, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Russia, Somalia, Syria, Thailand and Yemen.
A full list provided by the department includes Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay and Uzbekistan.
For Pakistan, the freeze could disrupt plans for thousands of applicants who seek US immigrant visas each year, delaying family visits, studies and job opportunities. Pakistani consulates in the United States are expected to issue guidance soon for those already in the pipeline.
The public charge rule, embedded in US immigration statutes for decades, allows authorities to deny entry to individuals assessed as probable recipients of government assistance. Under the new guidance, consular officers must weigh factors like an applicant’s age, health, financial resources, English-language proficiency, employment prospects and potential need for long-term medical care. Those with past use of cash assistance or institutional support face heightened scrutiny. Previous interpretations excluded benefits such as food stamps, Medicaid and housing vouchers from consideration, but enforcement has fluctuated with administrations.
Trump broadened the rule during his first term, only for courts to intervene and the Biden administration to roll it back. The current action signals a revival of that stricter stance.
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