The U.S. announced that it is going to pause the process of immigrant visas for 75 countries. This decision has caught many people’s attention because it affects many people who want to move permanently to the U.S. This pause is part of Trump’s Administration’s measures, which has made very strict decisions in the last couple of years when it comes to immigration. So, let’s find out why he is doing this and which countries are affected.
Meaning of suspending immigrant visas process
The U.S. Department of State announced that it will stop processing immigrant visas for people from 75 countries. An immigrant visa allows someone to move to the U.S. to live permanently there.
With this decision, those who are applying from those countries won’t be able to continue with their applications while the pause is active. This directly affects people who aim to legally establish themselves in the U.S.
Important: The suspension does not affect short-term visas, such as tourist visas, temporary work visas, or visas for special events like the 2026 men’s football World Cup.
Why is the government doing this?
According to the U.S. Department of State, the goal is to end the abuse of America’s immigration system.’’ The government says that some people might try to come to the U.S. and then depend on public benefits or welfare.
Tommy Pigott, the spokesperson for the Department of State, said that the goal of the suspension is to prevent the entry of people who might become a “public charge,” meaning people who could rely on government support.
The Department of State explained that stopping the process temporarily is a way to protect U.S. resources and make sure that new immigrants will not place a financial burden on the country.
Impact on immigrat visa applicants
The suspension affects people from many, many countries like Iran, Russia, and Brazil. In total, 75 countries are the ones whose citizens could no longer continue with their immigrant visa paperwork while the measure is in place.
What’s more, the U.S. Department of State reminded us that they had already paused other immigration applications in December. This decision affected 19 countries that had already been placed under travel restrictions earlier in 2025.
The government also explained that, since Trump took office, more than 100,000 visas have been cancelled. The announced pause adds to a series of actions taken to limit legal immigration.
More measures
This decision comes at a horrible time when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increased its presence in cities across the U.S. Recently, a woman named Renee Good was shot and killed in her car during an ICE action in Minneapolis.
The overall situation shows that immigration enforcement inside the United States has become stricter and more visible.
The Department of State also wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that the freeze will remain in place “until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people.” In another post, they added: “The Trump Administration will always put America First.”
Experts’ opinion
David Bier, director of Immigration Studies at the Cato Institute, said that this administration has “the most anti-legal immigration agenda in American history.”
According to him, this action could stop the entry of almost half of immigrants who normally arrive in the country, which means about 315,000 people less in a year.
These comments reflect the concerns many experts have about how strongly this suspension could affect legal immigration to the United States.
The 75 affected countries
These are the countries affected by this suspension of the immigrant visas: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, 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, 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.
So, the suspension has no clear end date, leaving many people unable to continue their plans to move permanently to the U.S. Let’s hope this situation ends very soon and immigrant people can stop suffering from this Trump decision.