“America First” Visa Crackdown: Processing Stopped for 75 Nations

Under the banner of “America First,” the Trump administration has issued a directive that effectively freezes immigrant visa processing for 75 distinct nations. The policy, which aims to reduce the potential financial burden on the US government, targets individuals deemed likely to become public charges. This indefinite suspension is one of the widest-reaching changes to immigration procedure in recent history.
Set to trigger on January 21, the rule leaves little room for negotiation. Consular staff have been ordered to refuse cases where visas have not strictly been printed, regardless of prior approval status. This creates a hard stop for migration from vast swathes of the world, impacting geopolitical allies and adversaries alike without distinction based on diplomatic ties.
The State Department cable outlining the policy notes that exceptions will be rare. Unless an applicant can demonstrate that their entry specifically services US national interests, or if they possess dual nationality with an exempt country, they will be barred from proceeding. This shift emphasizes a merit and asset-based approach to entry, prioritizing economic self-sufficiency over family reunification or diversity.
The geopolitical spread of the list is notable, encompassing major regional powers and smaller developing nations. It includes countries with deep diasporas in the United States, suggesting that the social impact will be felt deeply within American communities that maintain ties to these homelands.
The nations affected by this suspension are: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Myanmar, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, North Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.