Overview
- Fox News reported that a State Department memo calls for stopping visa issuance to citizens of 75 countries starting January 21 during a procedural overhaul.
- The White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt amplified the report on X, while the State Department did not confirm it when asked by Reuters.
- The reported halt would target applicants assessed as likely to rely on U.S. public benefits and would remain in place for an unspecified period.
- Applicants from countries including Russia, Iran, Yemen, Afghanistan, Brazil, Thailand, Nigeria, Egypt, and Somalia are cited in the memo as affected.
- Separately, the State Department said U.S. authorities canceled 100,000 visas last year, two and a half times the prior year, citing legal violations.