The Donald Trump administration has paused immigrant visa applications at US embassies and consulates worldwide as part of a broader effort to tighten immigration screening and prevent applicants considered likely to depend on government assistance from entering the country.
A US State Department official confirmed the development on Tuesday, saying the initiative began at American diplomatic missions in early August. The department said consular appointments were being adjusted to allow officers to undergo additional training aimed at strengthening how visa applications are assessed.
Applicants who already had interview appointments have reportedly received emails informing them that their appointments were cancelled and that new dates would be provided later. However, it remains unclear when the cancelled interviews will be rescheduled.
The move is based partly on the Trump administration’s “public charge” concerns and forms part of wider efforts to tighten both lawful and undocumented immigration.
The administration has introduced several other immigration measures in recent months, including plans to revoke the visas of some asylum seekers who initially entered the US using tourist or business visas. Reports indicate that up to 200,000 asylum seekers could potentially be affected.
Visa applicants have also faced additional scrutiny, including reviews of social media activity and higher processing costs.
The latest pause follows an earlier attempt by the administration to restrict immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries on similar public-charge grounds. A federal judge recently overturned that measure.
Immigration advocates have criticised the restrictions, with the National Immigration Law Center arguing that immigration laws should not be used to discriminate against applicants.
The new pause could create significant difficulties for applicants who have already spent large sums preparing for interviews and making travel arrangements. Immigration attorney Brian Simmons said some affected applicants may have spent thousands of dollars and disrupted their lives only to have their scheduled interviews cancelled.
With no clear date for the rescheduling of the cancelled appointments, many applicants are now facing further uncertainty over their plans to immigrate to the United States.
Source: The Guardian UK / US State Department.
