The State Department has halted the processing of immigrant visas for 75 countries as part of an initiative to address applicants who may be under scrutiny for potential legal issues.
A memo from the State Department, which was first obtained by Fox News Digital, directs consular officials to deny visas in accordance with existing laws while the department reexamines its screening and vetting processes.
This list of countries includes Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, and Yemen, among others.
The suspension will start on January 21 and remain in effect indefinitely until a comprehensive reassessment of the immigrant visa processing occurs.
In particular, Somalia is facing heightened attention from federal officials after a significant fraud scandal surfaced in Minnesota, revealing extensive misuse of its taxpayer-funded benefit system.
Many individuals implicated in the scandal are Somali nationals or Somali Americans.
In November 2025, a cable from the State Department instructed consular officials worldwide to adopt new extensive vetting protocols under the “public charge” guidelines stipulated in immigration law.
This guidance requires officials to evaluate various factors such as health, age, English skills, financial situation, and even anticipated long-term medical needs when determining if a visa applicant might depend on public assistance.
Elderly individuals and those struggling with their weight could face rejections, as well as anyone who has accessed government cash assistance or required institutional care in the past.
“The State Department will continue to exercise its established authority to deny potential immigrants who would bring negative attention to the United States or who may exploit the generosity of American resources,” said State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott.
“Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while we reevaluate our procedures to prevent the influx of individuals needing welfare and public benefits.”
Here’s the latest on fraud schemes in Minnesota:
While utility charge regulations have been around for years, their application has varied significantly between different administrations, allowing consular officials a lot of leeway in how they enforce the rules.
Exceptions to the new moratorium will be “very limited” and will only apply after candidates meet certain utility cost requirements.
Under the Biden administration’s 2022 public charge regulations, the range of benefits considered was significantly narrowed to mainly cash assistance and long-term care, excluding others like WIC and Medicaid, along with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program designed for women, infants, and children.
Historically, immigration laws have given consular officials the power to reject applicants based on public offenses. However, in 2019, President Donald Trump broadened that definition to cover a wider scope of public interest concerns.
This expansion faced legal challenges and was partly blocked before being rolled back by the Biden administration.
The complete list of affected countries includes: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Ivory Coast, Cuba, Democratic Republic of 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, Yemen.
