US Visa Shutdown Locks Out 75 Nations Begining Jan. 21—Black & Brown Countries Hardest Hit
Written by b87fm on 01/19/2026
The Trump administration’s U.S. State Department has announced a sweeping new move: beginning Jan. 21, visa processing will be frozen for citizens from 75 countries.
According to Newsweek, the halt—described by officials as “indefinite”—is part of a broader effort to reassess how visa applicants are screened under the government’s “public charge” rule. That policy evaluates whether individuals seeking entry to the U.S. could eventually require government assistance.
The list of affected countries spans much of Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, disproportionately impacting Black and Brown nations. Countries named include Nigeria, Somalia, Yemen, Ghana, Ethiopia, Egypt, Haiti, Jamaica, and Brazil, alongside others such as Russia, Iran, Iraq, and Thailand.
The freeze is expected to have significant consequences for international students planning to attend U.S. colleges, workers seeking employment opportunities, and refugees fleeing conflict or humanitarian crises. For many applicants who have already completed interviews and extensive paperwork, the decision leaves their futures uncertain, with no clear timeline for when processing may resume.
For some, the announcement follows a familiar pattern. In November, the administration revealed that visa applicants could also face denial based on poor health. A 2024 report from The Commonwealth Fund found that the U.S. spends more on healthcare than any other high-income nation, while Americans “are sicker, die younger, and struggle to afford essential health care”—a contrast critics say complicates the logic behind such exclusions.
The new freeze echoes earlier immigration restrictions enacted under the administration, raising concerns that thousands of applicants may be stranded mid-process.
Additionally, CBS News reports that refugee admissions have also been largely frozen, with limited exceptions—including certain groups of white Afrikaners from South Africa.
As the policy takes effect, immigration advocates warn the decision could reshape access to the U.S. for months, if not longer, leaving tens of thousands in global limbo.
