The US is halting immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, including Brazil, Russia, Somalia, and Iran, part of the Trump administration’s effort to restrict foreigners who might require public assistance.
The move centers on a provision that allows the government to bar entry to anyone who might become a “public charge” and drain resources — Trump officials in recent weeks have fixated on allegations that members of Minnesota’s Somali community defrauded social safety net programs.
Studies, though, have shown that immigrants use less welfare than US-born Americans. Aside from an illegal immigration crackdown, Trump has also severely restricted legal immigration, along with implementing travel bans and heightening vetting of tourists.