(NewsNation) — The State Department announced Wednesday it will pause the processing of immigrant visas for citizens from 75 countries.
In a post on X, the department wrote that the visa freeze will impact countries “whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates,” adding that “the freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people.”
The Associated Press reports the pause will begin Jan. 21 and will not apply to applicants seeking non-immigrant visas, or temporary tourist or business visas. While an official list of the 75 countries has not yet been made public, the department noted on X that the pause impacts countries such as Somalia, Haiti, Iran and Eritrea, “whose immigrants often become public charges on the United States upon arrival.”
The announcement comes just a day after the Trump administration announced it would end temporary deportation protections for Somalis.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote, “Temporary means temporary. Country conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the law’s requirement for Temporary Protected Status.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt linked to the story on X, writing, “‘Somali migrants with TPS will be required to leave the country by March 17.’”