Washington, Jan 15: President Donald Trump’s administration has expanded its immigration enforcement by halting immigrant visa entries from nearly half of the world’s nations. While the White House has frequently focused on illegal border crossings, this latest State Department mandate directly targets the legal immigration system.
Immigration experts suggested that the move represents a significant shift in U.S. policy. The suspension is expected to prevent hundreds of thousands of people from entering the country legally over the next 12 months.
“This administration has proven itself to have the most anti-legal immigration agenda in American history,” said David Bier, Cato’s Director of Immigration Studies. “This action will ban nearly half of all legal immigrants to the United States, turning away about 315,000 legal immigrants over the next year alone.”
The administration has already revoked more than 100,000 visas since taking office in January, alongside implementing higher fees for H-1B visas and stricter social media vetting. The current pause stems from a promise made by Trump in November to halt migration from various nations following a fatal shooting near the White House involving a foreign national.
State Department officials noted that the pause allows for a “full review” of guidance to ensure the “highest level of screening.” The cable sent to U.S. missions mentioned that there were indications nationals from the 75 listed countries had previously sought public benefits, prompting the need for tighter financial scrutiny.
Federal agents have already been prioritized for enforcement in major cities, a move that has led to various confrontations. This latest policy marks a escalation in the administration’s efforts to reshape the demographic and economic landscape of U.S. immigration.
