US President Donald Trump has indefinitely suspended immigrant visa processing for people from 75 countries, in a move that marks one of the administration's most expansive efforts to restrict legal pathways to the United States. The freeze takes effect on January 21 and targets applicants deemed likely to become "public charges" - individuals who may rely on government benefits for basic needs.
According to the US Department of State, the decision was made after researching countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at an "unacceptable rate". However, research contradicts administration claims about immigrant welfare use. A study published by the libertarian Cato Institute found that native-born Americans consumed more welfare and entitlement benefits than all immigrants on a per capita basis in 2022.
The US Department of State has stated that the pause will remain active until the country can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people. The move follows Trump's December expansion of travel bans to 39 countries, suspension of asylum processing, and halting of citizenship and green card applications for citizens of countries already subject to restrictions.
Critics have accused the administration of using these measures as a means to deter low-skilled immigrants, while failing to address issues such as high levels of unemployment and poverty in certain communities. The move has also sparked concerns about the impact on US economic growth and the country's reputation on the global stage.
It is worth noting that not all countries on the list are considered "high-risk" by the administration. Some have long-standing immigration ties to the US, while others are war-torn nations or key allies. The full list of affected countries has yet to be released.
As usual, Trump is using this policy as a way to make his opponents look like they're not taking care of America's business.
According to the US Department of State, the decision was made after researching countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at an "unacceptable rate". However, research contradicts administration claims about immigrant welfare use. A study published by the libertarian Cato Institute found that native-born Americans consumed more welfare and entitlement benefits than all immigrants on a per capita basis in 2022.
The US Department of State has stated that the pause will remain active until the country can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people. The move follows Trump's December expansion of travel bans to 39 countries, suspension of asylum processing, and halting of citizenship and green card applications for citizens of countries already subject to restrictions.
Critics have accused the administration of using these measures as a means to deter low-skilled immigrants, while failing to address issues such as high levels of unemployment and poverty in certain communities. The move has also sparked concerns about the impact on US economic growth and the country's reputation on the global stage.
It is worth noting that not all countries on the list are considered "high-risk" by the administration. Some have long-standing immigration ties to the US, while others are war-torn nations or key allies. The full list of affected countries has yet to be released.
As usual, Trump is using this policy as a way to make his opponents look like they're not taking care of America's business.
... so, the US is suspending visas for people from 75 countries and it's all because they think immigrants are taking too much from the American system? 
I mean, didn't we just learn that native-born Americans actually use more welfare than immigrants on average? 
Like, some of those countries have strong ties to the US and are even allies... why are they getting hit with this rule too?
. I think we need to be looking at ways to support our communities and help people get back on their feet, not just restricting who can come into the country.
... like, don't we want people coming in to help us innovate and grow? 
I'm so tired of these travel ban nonsense 
. It's always the same thing - restrict more people from coming in, but what about the real issues? Like, have we even looked into why people are leaving their home countries to start a new life? Or how about actually supporting those who are already here and trying to make ends meet?
. And what's with the phrase "extract wealth from the American people"? How do we even measure that? 
. We should be working towards creating more opportunities, not fewer.
. Can't we find a way to make this system work for everyone? 
. It just goes to show that Trump is really good at playing the "America First" card and making it sound like he's doing what's best for the country, but deep down he's just trying to screw over some innocent people who are just trying to make a better life for themselves. I mean, come on, 75 countries?! That's just plain ridiculous! What's next? Putting up fences around every border and making everyone show their papers? It's like something out of a dystopian novel 
.
. They're basically saying that immigrants are just going to take advantage of American welfare without even doing any due diligence, right? 
. Trump is using this as a way to show how tough he's being, but it's just gonna harm more people than help 
. The economy and the country's rep are also gonna suffer because of this kinda restrictive policy 
. Why can't they focus on solving those issues instead of targeting vulnerable groups? 
.
. The real question is, what's the real motive here? 
SO THIS POLICY IS JUST BASED ON FLAWED RESEARCH AND IT'S GOING TO FUEL RACISM AND Xenophobia.