The Biden administrations State Department is halting visa processing for nationals of 75 countries as it moves to tighten enforcement of long-standing rules against immigrants who are likely to become a public charge.
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According to Sean Hannity, an internal memofirst obtained by Fox News Digitalorders consular officers to deny visas under existing law while the department reevaluates its screening and vetting standards. The pause, which affects countries including Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, and Yemen, is scheduled to begin January 21 and will remain in place indefinitely while the review proceeds.
The move comes as Somalia faces intensified scrutiny following major fraud investigations in Minnesota involving taxpayer-funded benefit programs, a context Fox links to the administrations more aggressive stance. That backdrop underscores a core conservative concern: that lax immigration controls and weak welfare safeguards invite abuse of American generosity.
The memo follows a November 2025 State Department cable that instructed U.S. posts worldwide to apply stricter public charge standards, weighing applicants health, age, English proficiency, financial resources, and potential long-term medical care needs. Under these guidelines, older or overweight applicants, as well as those with any history of government cash assistance or institutionalization, could face denial.
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, State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said in a statement. For many conservatives, the question now is whether this pause marks a genuine course correction on border and visa policy or a temporary gesture in the face of mounting public outrage over welfare fraud and unchecked migration.
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