Immigrant Visa Pause in the U.S. Takes Effect Today; Are Latinos Affected?
Posted on 01/21/26 at 21:29
- US immigrant visa pause
- Legal visas suspended
- Uncertainty for applicants
The new immigration offensive by the government of Donald Trump added a high-impact measure for legal immigration in the United States this Wednesday.
Starting today, an indefinite pause in the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries takes effect, a decision that leaves thousands of families and workers in uncertainty.
The suspension affects both new applications and cases already in progress, including visas for family reunification and permanent employment in US territory.
The Department of State confirmed that the measure will apply immediately and did not establish a timeline for lifting it, according to CNN en Español.
A review with no date or public criteria
In an official communication, the Department of State explained that during the pause it will conduct “a comprehensive review of all immigration policies, regulations, and guidelines.”
The goal, according to the agency, is to ensure that immigrants from countries considered “high risk” do not use public assistance programs or become a public charge.
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However, US immigration law already clearly defines what constitutes a “public charge,” which has generated legal and political questions.
“The concept of public charge is already established in the law, so this decision creates even more uncertainty for applicants,” warned immigration attorney Carlos Colombo.
Nationality is not a legal criterion
According to DW, the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) establishes that authorities may evaluate whether a person is inadmissible due to public charge.
To do so, the law considers factors such as age, health status, family situation, financial resources, education, and job skills.
The applicant’s citizenship or nationality does not appear among the criteria contemplated by current law.
Despite this, the Department of State did not explain why these 75 countries were selected or what specific parameters were used to classify them as “high risk.”
Latin America among the affected regions of this immigration policy imposed by Trump
The list of affected countries, published by Reuters citing a US official, includes several nations in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Among them are Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Barbados, and Belize, among others.
It is notable that Venezuela does not appear on this occasion, despite having been targeted by other recent restrictive measures.
The geographic scope of the list also includes countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.
A broader offensive against immigration
Since taking office in January, Donald Trump has intensified the enforcement of immigration laws across the country.
The deployment of federal agents in major cities has led to confrontations with migrants and also with US citizens.
Although campaign rhetoric focused on stopping irregular immigration, the measures adopted have also affected those seeking to migrate legally.
A previous example was the increase in fees and requirements for H-1B visas aimed at highly skilled workers, CNN en Español noted.
“The pause on immigrant visas to the U.S. takes effect today. Experts question the measure and anticipate lawsuits.” https://t.co/A1xRS6U4pi
— CNN en Español (@CNNEE) January 21, 2026
Criticism over the impact on legal immigration to the US
Experts in immigration policy have warned that this pause represents a historic blow to legal immigration.
“This administration has demonstrated having the most anti–legal immigration agenda in the history of the United States,” said David Bier of the Cato Institute.
According to Bier, the suspension could prevent the entry of nearly half of the legal immigrants expected next year.
“This measure will reject about 315,000 legal immigrants in the next year alone,” he concluded, according to DW.
