What’s Happening

On January 14, 2026, The Department of State (DOS) announced on its official X account a suspension of immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries deemed likely to require public assistance while living in the United States. According to DOS’s post, the suspension is indefinite and “will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people”. Fox News, Forbes, and other new outlets are reporting that an internal DOS cable instructs consular officers to stop processing immigrant visa applications for individuals from the affected countries beginning on January 21, 2026, though this date has not been confirmed and the processing suspension could go into effect at any time absent further information from the State Department.