The US State Department has decided to temporarily pause immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, starting January 21. According to an internal State Department memo obtained by Fox News Digital, consular officers have been told to deny visas using existing legal powers while the review is underway. The pause applies to 75 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Prosecutors said many of those involved were Somali nationals or Somali-Americans, leading officials to increase scrutiny of visa applicants from the country. He added that visa processing from the affected countries will stay paused while officials reassess procedures to protect taxpayer resources.

Source: News 24 January 14, 2026 15:16 UTC