The Trump administration is moving to cut off visa seekers from dozens of countries as it prepares for a hostile face-off against Iran’s regime and a strong crackdown on foreigners committing fraud.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X today, “US freezes all visa processing for 75 countries, including Somalia, Russia, Iran.” The Somali fraud scandal has drawn particular Trump administration scrutiny, as has the massacre of freedom protesters in Iran.
The official U.S. State Department post said the countries on the list are being restricted because “migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates. The freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people.”
The department added, “We are working to ensure the generosity of the American people will no longer be abused. The Trump Administration will always put America First.”
Related: State Department Revokes 100K Visas for Criminal Activity
Leavitt's post also linked to a Fox News report as the U.S. State Department shared details with the outlet. Counsular offices for the designated countries are directed to halt visa grants while the State Department assesses and reforms the screening and vetting processes for obtaining U.S. visas.
Besides the countries above mentioned, the visa suspension applies to Afghanistan, Haiti, Brazil, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Eritrea, and Yemen, among others.
Despite signing a Trump-brokered ceasefire agreement, Thailand reportedly continues to conduct military action against Cambodian forces in response to reciprocal clashes. Both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire. Sam, a Cambodian who has spoken to PJ Media before about the conflict and his hope for peace, said that Thai forces severely damaged a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Preah Vihear Temple. It is not clear if the alleged ceasefire violations are connected to Thailand’s inclusion on the U.S. visa suspension list, since the State Department mentioned only the migrant welfare fraud.
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As for Nigeria, the Trump administration once again labeled it a country of particular concern for religious freedom and conducted a successful strike against Islamic terrorists there on Christmas Day. Nigeria is the most deadly country for Christians worldwide, the scene of an ongoing genocide fueled by Islamic jihad.
Afghanistan is another country that has already attracted the Trump administration's crackdowns, not only because of the terrorist Taliban that rules it, but also because of evidence that the Biden administration allowed tens of thousands of terrorists following the Afghanistan withdrawal debacle. Among these Afghanis was Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who subsequently murdered National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom and seriously wounded Andrew Wolfe in D.C. just before this past Thanksgiving.
The State Department has also revoked 100,000 visas for criminal activity. All of these efforts from the Trump administration keep Americans safe.
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