The United States government has announced the suspension of immigrant visa processing for Nigeria and 74 other countries, marking a fresh escalation in President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policy.
The decision, announced on Wednesday by the US State Department, affects a total of 75 countries and is aimed at what the Trump administration described as efforts to prevent abuse of America’s immigration and welfare systems.
State Department spokesman, Tommy Pigott, said the suspension would remain in place while Washington reviews its immigration procedures.
“The Trump administration is bringing an end to the abuse of America’s immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people,” Pigott said.
According to him, immigrant visa processing from the affected countries has been paused to allow the State Department to reassess screening processes and prevent the entry of foreign nationals deemed likely to rely on welfare and public benefits.
Although the United States has historically rejected visa applications from individuals considered at risk of becoming dependent on government support, officials said the latest move applies the same authority on a broader, nationality-based scale.
White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, disclosed via a post on X that the affected countries include Somalia, Russia and Iran. She also linked the decision to concerns raised after immigrants were implicated in a funding scandal in Minnesota.
Media reports indicated that several countries with friendly diplomatic relations with the United States, such as Brazil, Egypt and Thailand, are also affected. However, the State Department has yet to officially publish a comprehensive list.
Nigeria is among the African countries listed, alongside Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Egypt, Somalia and South Sudan, among others.
The latest action reinforces President Trump’s long-stated opposition to large-scale immigration from non-European countries.
The US President has previously made controversial remarks about African and Middle Eastern immigrants, while openly expressing preference for migrants from European nations.
Data released by the State Department earlier this week revealed that over 100,000 visas have been revoked since Trump returned to office, marking a one-year record.
In addition, the Department of Homeland Security disclosed last month that more than 605,000 people have been deported, while about 2.5 million others left the country voluntarily.
US authorities clarified that the suspension does not affect non-immigrant visas, including tourist and business visas.
The policy also exempts football fans planning to travel to the United States for this year’s World Cup, although officials said all applicants would be subjected to enhanced scrutiny, including reviews of their social media activities.
The move is expected to spark diplomatic reactions from affected countries, particularly those with strong historical and economic ties to the United States.
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