The United States has placed Uganda among 26 African countries and a total of 75 nations worldwide facing a new suspension of immigrant visa processing, in the latest escalation of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
The U.S. State Department said on Wednesday that it would halt the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of the affected countries, citing concerns that their nationals are more likely to rely on public assistance once admitted into the United States.
The decision was announced by the State Department under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said consular officers worldwide had been instructed to stop processing immigrant visa applications from the listed countries in line with a broader directive issued in November.
According to the department, the policy targets countries whose migrants have been deemed likely to become “public charges,” a term used by U.S. authorities to describe individuals who may depend on government welfare programs.
Uganda joins several countries from the region affected by the suspension, including Somalia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, Sudan, Libya, Egypt, Senegal, Tunisia, Cameroon, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Eritrea.
Other countries mentioned in the announcement include Afghanistan, Iran, Haiti, and several nations across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, bringing the total number to 75.
The move builds on earlier immigration and travel restrictions imposed by the Trump administration on nearly 40 countries and forms part of a broader effort to tighten U.S. entry standards for foreign nationals.
“The Trump administration is bringing an end to the misuse of America’s immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people,” the State Department said in a statement.
“Immigrant visa processing from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits,” it added.
The suspension, set to take effect on January 21, will not apply to non-immigrant visas such as tourist and business visas, which make up the majority of visa applications.
U.S. officials also noted that demand for non-immigrant visas is expected to rise in the coming years due to the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games, both of which the United States will host or co-host.
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