The Trump administration has announced the halting of the issuance of immigration visas from 75 countries, as the White House attempts to curtail widespread fraud and restrict entry to applicants who will likely become a “public charge” to the United States.
The announcement comes in the wake of a massive fraud scandal that continues to unravel in Minnesota, where a substantial number of Somali residents, many of whom are of undocumented status, reportedly took advantage of social-welfare programs, stealing billions in public tax dollars.
The freeze will go into effect on Jan. 21 and will target immigrants who the administration deems as those who may rely on government subsidies for basic needs.
The U.S. State Department issued a statement saying the agency “will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates.”
Some of the nations that will be included in the freeze are nationals from Afghanistan, Albania, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay, Yemen, among others.
