Why the US is suspending immigrant visas for Brazil, Egypt, Thailand, dozens of other countries

The Trump administration has suspended US immigrant visa processing for nationals from 75 countries, including Brazil, Morocco, Thailand and Egypt, citing concerns over reliance on public welfare, the State Department said.

Nathaniel Alexander Abaño January 19, 2026

The Trump administration is suspending US immigrant visa processing for nationals from 75 countries, including Brazil, Morocco, Thailand, and Egypt, citing concerns that migrants from those nations rely on American public welfare programs at what it calls “unacceptable rates,” the US State Department recently announced on X.

The pause, set to take effect on Wednesday, applies to immigrant visas for individuals seeking permanent residence in the United States. It does not affect non-immigrant visas, such as those for tourists, students, temporary workers or major international events, including World Cup-related travel.

Welfare concerns

The State Department said the freeze will remain in place until the US can ensure new immigrants “will not extract wealth from the American people.” The department added that it is working to prevent what it described as the abuse of America’s immigration generosity, framing the move as part of the administration’s “America First” agenda.

The State Department 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.
— Department of State (@StateDept) January 14, 2026

State Department principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the suspension allows officials to reassess immigration screening procedures to block applicants likely to become “public charges” after arrival.

A US official confirmed the affected list spans regions across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America. In addition to Brazil, Morocco, Thailand and Egypt, the countries include Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, 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, 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, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

Eligibility rules

The announcement marks a further escalation of the administration’s hardline immigration policies, which have already included mass deportations, tightened asylum rules and repeated visa freezes. In December, the administration halted immigration applications from nationals of 19 countries, and earlier this week it revoked Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalis living in the United States.

US officials argue that the suspension is justified despite existing limits on benefit access for immigrants. Most green card holders, for example, face a five-year waiting period before becoming eligible for programs such as food stamps, non-emergency Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.Critics, however, say the policy unfairly targets developing nations and risks disrupting family reunification and legal migration pathways. The State Department said the pause will remain in effect until it completes a full reassessment of its immigrant visa screening standards.