The Donald Trump administration plans to halt issuance of U.S. immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries, including Russia, Iran and Brazil.
On the 14th (local time), Fox News reported that it obtained an internal State Department document showing the department instructed consular staff stationed in those countries to stop processing immigrant visas starting on the 21st.
The measure will remain in place indefinitely until evaluations of each country's visa screening procedures are completed.
Countries subject to the suspension include Brazil as well as Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand and Yemen.
White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt shared the report on her X (formerly Twitter) account and confirmed it as true. The inclusion of Iran on the list is seen as being influenced by its unstable domestic politics, including ongoing anti-government protests.
Also, with Somali immigrants implicated in a recent subsidies embezzlement case in Minnesota, U.S. immigration authorities are moving to tighten oversight of Somali nationals. The Department of Homeland Security is also reportedly planning to end the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) that had applied to Somalis residing in the United States.
Earlier, immediately after taking office, President Trump signed an executive order calling for stricter screening of foreigners seeking to enter the United States. Since then, the Trump administration has applied even more rigorous standards to the overall visa issuance process.
In Nov. last year, it also sent an official notice to U.S. missions worldwide instructing them to deny visas if, after comprehensively considering the applicant's health, age and financial situation, there is a likelihood the applicant would rely on public assistance in the United States.