Unassigned

State Dept. Pauses Visa Processing From Countries Whose Migrants Take Welfare at ‘Unacceptable Rates'

Brett T.
Brett T.  |  4:30 PM on January 14, 2026

Here's some big news from the State Department. It seems the Trump administration has decided it's in the best interests of the country if immigrants who can contribute to, rather than take from, society, are the ones let in. To that effect, the department has announced that it's pausing visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants are a drain on welfare. That's a lot of countries.

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It's about time. 

It's interesting to see Somalia listed first. As we've learned while the Somali community in Minnesota has drawn attention to itself through fraud investigations, 89 percent of Somali immigrant households with children receive some sort of welfare, from SNAP to Medicaid to cash assistance.

The Associated Press reports:

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The State Department said Wednesday it will suspend the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Russia and Somalia, whose nationals the Trump administration has deemed likely to require public assistance while living in the United States.

The State Department, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said it had instructed consular officers to halt immigrant visa applications from the countries affected in accordance with a broader order issued in November that tightened rules around potential immigrants who might become “public charges” in the U.S.

The step builds on earlier immigration and travel bans by the administration on nearly 40 countries and is part of President Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to tighten U.S. entry standards for foreigners.

“The Trump administration is bringing an end to the abuse of America’s immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people,” the department said in a statement. “Immigrant visa processing from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassess immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”

The liberals are going to have a fit about this. Democrats will be running to the microphones soon.

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The full list of countries:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

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We're certain there are plenty of activist judges already writing their motions to block this action by the Trump administration.

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