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U.S. Immigration Policy

U.S. Freezes Visas for 75 Countries and Ends Somalia TPS

Latina Republic

Citing national security threats, widespread fraud, and failures in foreign screening and vetting systems, the Trump administration is significantly tightening U.S. immigration policy through a combination of visa freezes, expanded travel restrictions, and the termination of Somalia’s Temporary Protected Status.

Beginning January 21, the U.S. State Department will impose an indefinite pause on immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries. The guidance directs consular officers to refuse immigrant visas under existing law while the department conducts a comprehensive reassessment of screening and vetting procedures. Officials say exceptions will be “very limited” and granted only after applicants clear public charge and national interest reviews.

The affected countries include Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Brazil, Nigeria, Thailand, Yemen, and dozens of others across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Europe, and Latin America.

According to the State Department, the pause is tied to stricter enforcement of the “public charge” provision of U.S. immigration law, which allows officials to deny visas to applicants deemed likely to rely on taxpayer-funded public benefits. Consular officers are instructed to consider a broad range of factors, including age, health, financial resources, English proficiency, prior use of public assistance, and potential need for long-term medical care.

 

 

The visa freeze follows a November 2025 State Department cable directing consular officers worldwide to apply heightened public charge screening. While the provision has existed for decades, enforcement has varied across administrations. President Donald Trump expanded its scope in 2019, a move that was partially blocked by courts and later rescinded under the Biden administration in 2022.

The current enforcement posture is reinforced by a presidential proclamation issued December 16, 2025, titled “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.” In the proclamation, President Trump states that it is U.S. policy to protect Americans from foreign nationals who may pose terrorist, national security, or public safety threats or exploit immigration laws for criminal or fraudulent purposes.

The proclamation cites extensive deficiencies in identity management and information sharing by foreign governments, including unreliable or handwritten civil documents, inaccessible criminal records, widespread corruption, fraudulent document markets, and weak passport controls. According to the administration, these conditions make it difficult or impossible for U.S. authorities to accurately verify applicants’ identities, criminal histories, or security risks.

It also points to high visa overstay rates, refusal by some governments to accept deported nationals, and the abuse of family-based immigration pathways as additional concerns. The proclamation narrows categorical visa exceptions, including for family-based immigrant visas, citing law enforcement findings that familial ties have been used in past cases to facilitate fraud, criminal activity, or terrorist financing.

 

 

Somalia is among the countries subject to full suspension of entry under the proclamation. Administration officials cite poor documentation practices, corruption, unreliable criminal records, and security concerns as reasons Somali nationals cannot be adequately vetted. These concerns have been amplified by a recent Minnesota-based fraud investigation involving misuse of taxpayer-funded benefit programs, which federal prosecutors say involved numerous Somali nationals or Somali-Americans.

In a related action, the Department of Homeland Security announced on January 13, 2026, that Somalia’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation will be terminated, effective March 17, 2026. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that the country no longer meets the legal requirements for TPS and that continued designation is not in the national interest.

TPS allows eligible nationals to live and work in the United States temporarily when their home countries face armed conflict or extraordinary conditions. DHS said Somali nationals who do not have another lawful status after the designation expires will be required to leave the country. DHS is encouraging affected individuals to voluntarily depart using U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s CBP Home mobile app, which allows users to self-report their departure. The program includes a complimentary plane ticket, a $1,000 exit bonus, and the opportunity to pursue future legal immigration.

 

 

Under the December 2025 proclamation, the administration says entry restrictions will be reviewed every 180 days and may be modified, lifted, or expanded based on whether affected countries improve cooperation on screening, vetting, information sharing, and repatriation of their nationals.

Experts note that while rigorous vetting and public safety remain essential, policies that abruptly remove long-term residents—who have paid taxes, built businesses, and formed families—can devastate households, create economic and caregiving burdens for those left behind, and disproportionately penalize older relatives; a more balanced approach would allow families seeking to sponsor such relatives to assume full financial responsibility while still meeting security and vetting standards.

Latina Republic is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to tracking presidential actions, public policy, and government initiatives shaping immigration, human trafficking prevention, and foreign policy across Latin America, the Caribbean, and the broader Western Hemisphere. Through clear, source-driven reporting, we bridge information gaps between governments and communities, promote regional understanding, and highlight how policy decisions affect people, diplomacy, and cross-border cooperation throughout