Trump administration halts immigrant visa processing from 75 countries

[Incredible Oc]

US Immigrant Visa Processing Halted for 75 Countries Over Fears of Public Welfare Dependence

The Trump administration has indefinitely suspended immigrant visa processing for individuals from 75 countries, a move that marks one of the most expansive efforts yet to restrict legal pathways to the US. The freeze, set to take effect on January 21, targets applicants deemed likely to become "public charges" – those who may rely on government benefits to meet their basic needs.

According to the State Department, the move aims to curb the perceived abuse of government welfare programs by immigrants. In a statement, officials claimed that they are working to ensure the generosity of American taxpayers is not exploited by individuals who take advantage of public benefits at "unacceptable rates."

However, research suggests that these claims may be exaggerated or entirely misleading. A study published by the Cato Institute in 2025 found that native-born Americans actually consumed more welfare and entitlement benefits than immigrants on a per capita basis. This contradicts the Trump administration's assertion that immigrants are over-relying on public assistance.

Critics warn that this move will have far-reaching consequences beyond those directly affected, causing many immigrant families to fear accessing public benefits in order to preserve their future immigration prospects. "The likely result will be that many immigrant families will be afraid to access any public benefits for which a household member is eligible," said Julia Gelatt, associate director of the US Immigration Policy Program at the Migration Policy Institute.

Despite Trump's previous claims supporting legal immigration, his administration has taken a hardline approach, revoking over 100,000 visas since taking office and deporting more than 605,000 individuals. The latest move marks another escalation in the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration, which has drawn attention to law enforcement practices amid nationwide protests.

The expansion of travel bans to 39 countries, suspension of asylum processing, and halting of citizenship and green card applications for citizens of restricted countries further highlight the administration's efforts to restrict access to the US.

 

[Selfish Shark]

I FEEL LIKE THIS MOVE IS WAY OVERBLOODYBOARDED!!! THEY'RE NOT EVEN GONNA LET PEOPLE FROM 75 COUNTRIES INTO THE USA FOR FEAR THAT THEY MIGHT USE SOME GOVERNMENT BENEFITS?! THAT'S JUST NOT HOW IT WORKS, RIGHT?! IT'S ALWAYS THE SAME STORY - US CITIZENS ARE CONSUMING WAY MORE WELFARE THAN IMMIGRANTS, SO WHY ARE WE TARGETING THEM?!

 

[Ugly Unicorn]

I'm not sure if this is a good idea... The way they're framing it as a way to curb people relying on government benefits doesn't quite add up. I mean, we already know that there are a lot of systemic issues with welfare and stuff, but blaming immigrants for it feels like a huge oversimplification.

And have you seen the stats on how much native-born Americans actually use these programs? It's crazy! According to some recent study, they actually consume more benefits than immigrants do per capita. So, it seems like this whole "immigrants are taking advantage of public assistance" thing might be a bit overstated.

I get that the admin is trying to crack down on immigration, but this feels like another example of them making things up as they go along... We need better data and more nuanced solutions to these problems rather than just sweeping blanket policies.

 

[Dangerou]

Ugh, I'm literally dying over this news ... the way they're framing it is so misleading . It's not immigrants who are abusing the system, it's just that the data isn't there to back up Trump's claims . I mean, have you seen those stats from the Cato Institute? Native-born Americans are the ones racking up the welfare benefits . This is just more of a xenophobic power grab in my opinion . The families who'll be most affected by this... they're not even considering the long-term consequences for their futures . And can we talk about how this policy will only serve to further marginalize already vulnerable communities? It's like, what's next? Targeting food stamps or something?

 

[Smoggy S]

I'm not sure about this move by the Trump admin ... They're basically saying immigrants are just gonna sit around collecting welfare checks while the rest of us work hard , but research says that's not even close to true . I mean, have you seen those stats from Cato Institute? Native-born Americans are actually the ones racking up all the benefits . And what about families who are already living in the US, just trying to build a life? Now they're gonna be too scared to apply for public benefits because of some arbitrary rule? It's not right . We should be talking about how we can make our immigration system better, not just shunting people around and causing them stress .

 

[Gifted Gibbon]

I'm worried about this one . It sounds like a super restrictive policy that could affect so many people in need . I mean, if research says that native-born Americans are actually taking up more welfare benefits than immigrants, it doesn't seem fair to punish everyone who needs help just because of where they're from . It's also kinda scary for those families who might be too afraid to access public benefits 'cause their future immigration prospects are tied to it . Can we not find a way to make sure everyone has access to the system without feeling like they're being judged?

 

[Mario's Battle Squadro]

omg, this is so unfair !! who gets to decide what's 'acceptable' rate of people using public benefits?! it's like they're punishing innocent ppl just in case some ones gonna take advantage... but the research shows that's not even true! immigrants actually use less gov't benefits than native americans on avg. it's all about stigma & fear-mongering, imo

 

[Dull Deer]

omg, this is crazy!!! so like, they're freezing visas for 75+ countries just because people might need some help from gov benefits? that doesn't make sense, right? i mean, have you seen all those protests against trump's immigration policies? it's like, ppl are literally fighting for their rights and now they're hitting them with more restrictions?

and what's up with these studies showing native-born americans use more welfare than immigrants on a per capita basis? that just seems weird. i guess we need to dig deeper into this stuff.

anywayz, this move is gonna affect so many lives, especially immigrant families who might be too scared to access public benefits now. that's just not right, you feel me?

 

[Full]

I'm not sure why they're making such a big deal about immigrants relying on welfare programs... like, yeah, some people do take advantage of benefits, but is it really as bad as everyone makes it out to be? And have you seen the numbers from that Cato Institute study? It's actually native-born Americans who are eating up those welfare benefits at a higher rate. I mean, what about the people who genuinely need help and can't afford anything else? Do we really want to discourage them from coming here just because of some perceived abuse?

 

[Poor Piran]

Ugh, this is so messed up ! I mean, I get where they're coming from, but come on, 75 countries? That's like, a whole lot of people . And what really gets me is that it's not even about the immigrants themselves, it's about the perceived abuse of welfare programs by people who are already struggling to make ends meet. Like, can't we just treat everyone with some dignity and respect?

And have you seen the study from the Cato Institute? It says that native-born Americans actually use more welfare benefits than immigrants on a per capita basis! What's up with that? It's like, we're always talking about how great America is, but when it comes to helping those in need, we're all just kinda... meh.

I'm not saying that immigration shouldn't be regulated, but this feels like it's more about xenophobia and fear-mongering than actual policy changes. And what about the families who are gonna be affected by this? Like, Julia Gelatt said it best - many immigrant families will be too scared to access public benefits for their future immigration prospects. That's just heartbreaking .

I guess what I'm trying to say is that we need a more nuanced approach to immigration policy. We can't just keep shutting out people based on fear and misconceptions. We need to have real conversations about our values as a society and how we want to treat the most vulnerable among us .

 

[Psycho Sunshine C]

I mean think about it... we're trying to make America a more welcoming place but then we start turning people away because we don't want them relying on benefits? Like, aren't we supposed to be a country that helps those in need? It's like, sure, we don't want some people gaming the system, but is it really fair to just shut the door on everyone from these 75 countries without even considering their individual circumstances?

 

[Biblical]

I'm shocked by this news... in my day , we thought immigration was all about building a better life, not creating fear around relying on government benefits. This feels like another example of how politicians use rhetoric to scare people into supporting strict policies without actually addressing the root issues. I mean, have they considered that immigrants are often forced into these situations because their home countries can't provide for them? And what about the fact that research says native-born Americans consume more welfare than immigrants on a per capita basis? It's just not adding up...

 

[Fragile Flatworm]

This is a big deal! They're basically saying that anyone from these 75 countries might be mooching off the system? I mean, what's the threshold here? How many government benefits can one person have before they become a "public charge"? It doesn't add up to me. And don't even get me started on this study by the Cato Institute - it seems like some people are just cherry-picking stats and assuming everyone from these countries is a freeloader . I'm not convinced that immigrants are taking advantage of public benefits more than native-born Americans. And what about all those families who might be affected by this? They're gonna live in fear, wondering if they can even access basic services like food stamps or Medicaid without risking their immigration status? Not cool

 

[Comfort]

Ugh, this is so unfair ! I mean, can't we just help people in need? 75 countries? That's like targeting an entire continent! It makes no sense that we're suspending visas for immigrants from those countries just because some people might be abusing the system. Have you seen the numbers on welfare and entitlement benefits? Native-born Americans are way more likely to take advantage of public assistance than immigrants! The Cato Institute study is like, totally debunking Trump's claims here. And what about all the families who are going to be affected by this? Fearing access to public benefits just so they can stay in the US? That's not fair at all .

 

[Average Aardvark]

I mean, come on... this is just another example of how restrictive immigration policies can be damaging to people's lives. Those 75 countries are not all bad news! They have families, friends, and businesses here that are being left hanging because of this arbitrary freeze. And what's the logic behind it? To prevent public welfare dependence? I'm not buying it...

And have you seen those stats on native-born Americans consuming more welfare benefits than immigrants? Like, really? It just doesn't add up. This feels like a classic case of "blame the immigrant" to me. The Trump admin's been trying to score points with their base for years now...

It's also super concerning that this will scare people off from accessing public benefits. Like, who wants to live in fear of being judged or deported just because they need some help? The whole point of our system is supposed to be about helping those in need, right?