Washington, DC, January 14
The US State Department is set to pause visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, including Russia and Iran, as part of a crackdown on those immigrants deemed likely to become a "public charge," Fox News reported.
Public charge is a US immigration standard used to assess whether a non-citizen is likely to become mainly dependent on government support, which can affect entry or green card eligibility. It typically focuses on cash assistance and long-term government-funded institutional care, and generally does not count many non-cash benefits.
According to Fox News, a State Department memo directs consular officers to refuse visas under existing law while the department reassesses screening and vetting procedures.
The list of affected countries includes Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand and Yemen, among others, Fox News reported.
The pause will begin on January 21 and will remain in effect indefinitely until the State Department completes a reassessment of visa processing, the report said.
Somalia has reportedly come under particular scrutiny following a large-scale fraud scandal in Minnesota, where prosecutors uncovered alleged abuse of taxpayer-funded benefit programmes, with several of those involved identified as Somali nationals or Somali-Americans.
Fox News reported that in November 2025, a State Department cable sent to posts worldwide instructed consular officers to implement expanded screening rules under the "public charge" provision of immigration law.
The guidance instructs officers to deny visas to applicants considered likely to rely on public benefits, taking into account multiple factors such as health, age, English proficiency, finances, and potential need for long-term medical care.
Fox News reported that older or overweight applicants could face denial, along with individuals who had any past use of government cash assistance or institutionalisation.
"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 said 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," the statement said.
While the public charge provision has existed for decades, Fox News reported that enforcement has differed across administrations, with consular officers historically exercising broad discretion in applying the standard.
Under the new pause, exceptions will be "very limited" and would be permitted only after an applicant clears public charge considerations.
Fox News reported that a 2022 version of the public charge rule under the Biden administration limited the scope of benefits considered mainly to cash assistance and long-term institutional care, excluding programmes such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, WIC, Medicaid, and housing vouchers.
The Immigration and Nationality Act has long allowed consular officers to deem applicants inadmissible on public charge grounds, but US President Donald Trump expanded the definition in 2019 to include a wider set of public benefits. The expansion was challenged in court, with parts blocked before being rescinded by the Biden administration.
- ANI
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