U.S. to suspend immigrant visas from 75 countries over public assistance concerns
NPR • • world
Key Points:
- The U.S. State Department announced it will suspend immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries deemed likely to require public assistance, including Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, and Somalia, effective January 21.
- This suspension aligns with a broader Trump administration policy aimed at preventing immigrants who might become "public charges" from entering the U.S., expanding on previous immigration and travel bans.
- Non-immigrant visa applicants, such as tourists and business visitors, are not affected by the suspension, but consular officers are instructed to rigorously screen these applicants for potential reliance on public benefits.
- The new guidelines require consular officials to evaluate visa applicants on various factors including age, health, family status, finances, education, skills, past public assistance
