WASHINGTON—The United States is pausing immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, the State Department told The Epoch Times.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the development in a post on X on Wednesday and linked to a report from Fox News, which first reported the move.

The suspension takes effect Jan. 21.

The State Department said in a statement posted on X that it “will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates. The freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people.”

The department said the pause affects countries “whose immigrants often become public charges on the United States upon arrival.

“We are working to ensure the generosity of the American people will no longer be abused,” the State Department said.

“The Trump Administration will always put America First.”

The countries include Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the 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 and Yemen.

Somalia has been in the spotlight amid welfare fraud in Minneapolis that has allegedly been mainly committed by members of the Somali community, who set up day cares not occupied by children—as seen in a viral video by YouTuber Nick Shirley.

In November, the Trump administration ordered increased restrictions on visas under a revised “public charge” rule of immigration law. It instructs immigration officers to deny visas to applicants who would likely need to rely on public assistance. Other factors weighed include English proficiency, health, finances, and age.

The Trump administration has said it has revoked 100,000 visas so far.

The Department of State said in a post on X that it revoked 8,000 student visas and 2,500 specialized visas for individuals who had encounters with U.S. law enforcement for criminal activity.

“We will continue to deport these thugs to keep America safe,” it said.

During a press conference on Dec. 28, 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the visa revocations.

“There are people that have visas, that are in the United States, doing things counter to our national interest, and the law gives us the right, and I would argue the obligation, to remove people like that from our country, and we’re going to continue to do it,” he said.

“If you have the power to deny someone a visa before they get one, you most certainly have the power to revoke it once they get one and then do something they shouldn’t be doing.”