The Trump administration suspended immigrant visa processing for 75 countries beginning January 21, blocking permanent residency applications from ten nations operating citizenship by investment (CBI) programs alongside dozens of others which officials claim pose welfare dependency risks.
State Department officials announced the indefinite freeze on Wednesday. Among the countries are Antigua and Barbuda, Cambodia, Dominica, Egypt, Grenada, Jordan, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Sierra Leone, all of which are CBI jurisdictions.
The measure represents Washington’s most expansive legal immigration restriction in decades.
An internal cable reviewed by Reuters directs consular officers to refuse applicants whose visas have received authorization for printing but remain unissued.
According to the cable, nationals from these countries “are at a high risk for becoming a public charge and recourse to local, state, and federal government resources in the United States.”
Processing will remain suspended while the department conducts what Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott termed a “full review” of screening procedures. Officials have established no timeline for completion or criteria for countries to exit the list.
The suspension affects only immigrant visas granting permanent residency. Tourist, student, and business travel remain unaffected, a distinction officials emphasize given that the United States hosts the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics.
Approximately 315,000 legal immigrants face denial over the next year, according to David Bier, Director of Immigration Studies at the Cato Institute. Family reunification cases, employment-based applications, and diversity lottery winners from the 75 countries encounter indefinite delays.
Beyond CBI nations, the list encompasses Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Russia, Iran, Somalia, and Yemen, among others. Latin American, African, Middle Eastern, and Southeast Asian countries dominate the roster.
Pigott framed the action as taxpayer protection. “The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people,” he announced.
A 2025 Cato Institute study contradicts that rationale, finding immigrants consumed 21% fewer welfare and entitlement benefits than native-born Americans per capita in 2022.
David Lesperance, Managing Director at Lesperance & Associates, criticized the nationality-based approach. “By halting immigration categories based on nationality rather than visa category, the Trump administration has just thrown the baby out with the bathwater,” he argued.
EB-5 and other economic visa applicants like E1/E2 or L-1 senior intra-corporate transferees “are hardly interested in or likely to become ‘public charges’,” he noted, warning that “any small amount of future welfare savings will be overshadowed by the immediate loss of foreign direct investment or economic benefit.”
All five Caribbean CBI programs make the list
Five Caribbean nations with operational CBI programs face immigrant visa suspensions: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia.
Grenada’s inclusion marks a policy shift. Washington exempted the island from December travel restrictions and January visa bond expansions, likely due to its E-2 investor visa treaty with the United States.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines appears despite having no operational program. Prime Minister Goodwin Friday announced plans in late December to launch a CBI initiative in 2026, calling it essential for managing over $3 billion in public debt. The government now faces restrictions before processing a single application.
The Trump administration imposed partial travel bans on Antigua and Dominica in December, explicitly citing their citizenship programs as security concerns. Those restrictions blocked specific visa categories while preserving diplomatic access.
Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne disputed US characterizations, noting Parliament enacted 30-day physical residency requirements for citizenship qualification. Ambassador Williams Wallace subsequently indicated that Antigua may extend that mandate to 90 days over five years in response to American pressure.
Egypt, Jordan, Cambodia, and Sierra Leone also operate CBI programs and face US immigration suspensions.
The State Department cable notes CBI programs sometimes enable name changes that can conceal criminal ties, complicating background verification. Officials did not specify which programs permit such modifications or provide data quantifying security incidents.
November to January: A steady escalation
Wednesday’s announcement caps months of escalating immigration restrictions. In November 2025, the State Department directed diplomats to ensure visa applicants demonstrate financial self-sufficiency and will not depend on government subsidies.
December brought expanded travel restrictions to 38 countries, with Antigua and Dominica singled out for their CBI programs lacking residency requirements. Just last week, on January 9, Washington expanded its visa bond program from 15 to 38 countries, requiring nationals from designated nations to post $5,000 to $15,000 refundable bonds for tourist visas.
The State Department has revoked more than 100,000 visas since Trump returned to office in January 2025. Stricter social media vetting and expanded screening protocols now apply across multiple categories.
Bier characterized the measures as unprecedented. “This administration has proven itself to have the most anti-legal immigration agenda in American history,” he stated. “This action will ban nearly half of all legal immigrants to the United States.”
The European Union separately warned CBI programs could trigger visa-waiver suspensions under new mechanisms, compounding pressure on nations deriving revenue from CBI programs.
Caribbean governments introduced CBI reforms over the past two years to align with international due diligence standards. Washington’s decision to include multiple jurisdictions despite such efforts indicates the administration considers CBI pathways problematic regardless of oversight improvements.
State Department officials retain authority to grant exceptions that the administration deems in the US national interest.
Lawful permanent residents and existing visa holders remain unaffected, though language regarding print-authorized visas creates ambiguity for applications in the final processing stages.
