U.S. halts visa applications from 75 countries

The U.S. Department of State will no longer process visas from many immigrants who need welfare assistance, according to a Wednesday statement. The change will target 75 countries whose citizens, when living in the United States, often require public assistance at rates the administration deems unacceptable. Those countries include Iran, Somalia, Haiti, and Eritrea.

For the first time in half a century, the U.S. immigrant population shrank last year. The Trump administration has highlighted this trend as a milestone in its effort to secure U.S. borders.

A report from the Brookings Institute found between 10,000 and 295,000 more immigrants left the United States than arrived last year. Low or negative immigration numbers were predicted to continue into 2026. The same report also identified the potential for negative economic impact from the ongoing immigration decline.

Can immigrants be denied entry to the United States based on their cost to the American taxpayer? The public charge rule states that would-be U.S. immigrants can be denied citizenship if they are likely to require significant government assistance. This rule has been on the books since 1882.

The new visa processing freeze comes as the Trump administration seeks to broaden the definition of a public charge, an administrative goal carried over from his first term.

How many immigrants have left the United States? The Department of State revoked more than 100,000 visas during Trump’s first year back in office. More than 2.5 million illegal immigrants have also left the country, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Dig deeper: Read this report from Addie Offereins on the backlash against ICE enforcement.