The Trump administration will suspend all visa processing for visitors from 75 countries starting January 21, Fox News reported on Wednesday, citing a U.S. State Department memo.
Fox News said the affected countries include Somalia, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, Brazil, Nigeria and Thailand.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to the report, the memo instructs U.S. embassies to refuse visas under existing law while the department reviews and reassesses its procedures. No timeline for the review was provided.
The reported pause would mark a major escalation of the immigration crackdown pursued by President Donald Trump’s administration since he returned to office in January 2025.
In November, Trump vowed to “permanently pause” migration from what he described as “Third World Countries” after an Afghan national carried out a shooting near the White House that killed a National Guard member, according to the Reuters report.
