The United States has temporarily halted the issuance of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries, including Pakistan, as part of a sweeping review of immigration policy ordered by President Donald Trump. The suspension took effect on January 21, according to the United States Department of State. In a statement released on Thursday, the State Department said the move is linked to an ongoing assessment of whether immigration pathways are aligned with the administration’s emphasis on economic self-reliance. Officials said the review aims to ensure that new permanent residents do not become dependent on public assistance programs in the United States. As part of the policy, immigrant visa processing for applicants from countries identified as “high-risk” has been paused. While applicants may continue to file paperwork and appear for scheduled interviews, no immigrant visas — which grant permanent residency — will be issued until the review is completed. The State Department said the pause will remain in place until authorities are satisfied that immigration screening mechanisms adequately prevent what it described as excessive reliance on welfare benefits by incoming migrants. No specific timeline was provided for when visa issuance may resume. Among the affected countries are Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Somalia, Russia, Brazil, and Thailand, along with dozens of others spanning Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America. Officials clarified that the suspension does not apply to tourist, student, or other non-immigrant visas. Previously approved immigrant visas will also remain valid, and dual nationals applying with passports from countries not included in the list are exempt from the freeze. The move reflects a broader tightening of US immigration policy under Trump’s second term. Since returning to office, the administration has reinstated and expanded enforcement of the “public charge” rule, a provision of US immigration law that allows officials to deny entry to individuals deemed likely to depend on government benefits. Trump pursued similar measures during his first presidency, including travel restrictions on several Muslim-majority countries — policies that faced extensive legal challenges before being upheld in revised form and later overturned by former president Joe Biden. The visa pause comes as immigration enforcement within the United States has also intensified. The agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement has expanded operations across multiple states, drawing public and political scrutiny. Tensions escalated last week after a US citizen, Renee Good, was fatally shot during a federal operation in Minneapolis, triggering protests and renewed debate over enforcement practices under the current administration.
25% Tariff Shock: Trump Moves to Punish Nations Doing Business With Iran
US President Donald Trump has dramatically escalated pressure on Iran, announcing a sweeping new tariff policy aimed not only at Tehran but also at countries that continue to trade with it. In a social media post on Monday, Trump said the United States would impose a 25 percent tariff on any country doing business with Iran while also maintaining commercial ties with the US. He said the measure would take effect immediately, describing it as “final and conclusive,” though he did not clarify which countries would be targeted first. The announcement comes as Iran faces its most serious wave of unrest in years. Protests, initially sparked by economic grievances, have spread nationwide and evolved into a broader challenge to the ruling system that has governed the country since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. According to economic data platform Trading Economics, Iran’s largest trading partners include China, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and Iraq — all nations with varying degrees of trade exposure to the United States. Iranian authorities have responded to the unrest with force and a near-total internet blackout, measures that rights groups say are intended to obscure the true scale of casualties. The Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights warned that the communications shutdown has made independent verification of deaths and injuries nearly impossible. “The international community has a duty to protect civilian protesters against mass killing by the Islamic republic,” said IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam. Despite the crackdown, protests have persisted for more than two weeks, defying heavy security deployments. Iranian officials have blamed foreign powers for inflaming the unrest and have organised mass pro-government rallies in response. On Monday, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has ruled since 1989, claimed the demonstrations had failed. Speaking on state television, he said large counter-rallies across the country sent a “warning” to the United States and showed that foreign-backed plans had been thwarted. At a rally in Tehran’s Enghelab Square, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the US and Israel of waging a “four-front war” against Iran, citing economic, psychological, military and internal security pressures. He warned that any direct attack would provoke a severe response. Meanwhile, Washington signalled that military options remain on the table. The White House said Trump was “unafraid” to use force if necessary, while still prioritising diplomacy. The US State Department also issued a fresh warning to Americans in Iran, urging dual nationals to leave the country using Iranian passports and cautioning that US citizens face a high risk of detention. China swiftly rejected Trump’s tariff threat. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington said Beijing opposed “unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction,” warning that tariff wars benefit no one and vowing to protect China’s interests. Europe, meanwhile, has taken a harder political stance. The European Union said it was considering additional sanctions over Iran’s handling of protests, while the European Parliament banned Iranian diplomats from its premises. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned what he called indiscriminate state violence against protesters. Russia, a key ally of Tehran, criticised what it described as foreign interference in Iran’s internal affairs, signalling deepening geopolitical divisions as the crisis unfolds. With protests ongoing, diplomacy fragile, and economic pressure intensifying, Iran now finds itself facing mounting isolation — and the growing risk of a broader international confrontation.
