The US State Department is pausing all visa processing for 75 countries in an effort to prevent applicants deemed likely to become a public charge from entering the United States, as per a report.
A State Department memo instructs consular officers to temporarily refuse visas under existing law while the department reassesses screening and vetting procedures, Fox News Digital reported citing a memo. The pause, set to begin January 21, will continue indefinitely until the reassessment is complete, the report said.
The list of affected countries includes Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Yemen, among others, according to the report.
Public charge concerns
“The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott was quoted as saying in a statement.
“Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits,” he added.
Heightened scrutiny on Somalia
Somalia has drawn particular attention following a large-scale fraud scandal in Minnesota, where prosecutors uncovered widespread abuse of taxpayer-funded benefit programs. Many involved in the case were Somali nationals or Somali-Americans.
