US suspends immigration visas in 75 countries, including Brazil

The United States government suspended the issuance of immigration visas to citizens of 75 countries, including Brazil. The decision was confirmed by the State Department and will come into effect from January 21st, for an indefinite period.

The measure affects visas intended for permanent residence in the country. Temporary categories, such as tourism, study, exchange and fixed-term work, are not included in the suspension, according to the American Foreign Ministry.

The information was initially released by the broadcaster Fox News and later confirmed by the State Department, which did not initially present the complete list of affected countries nor did it detail criteria differentiated by nationality.

In a subsequent publication on social media, the State Department stated that the suspension applies to countries whose migrants would make use of US social assistance programs at levels considered “unacceptable”, a recurring argument in the anti-migration discourse promoted by the Trump administration.

The North American government did not present public data, official studies or objective criteria that support this allegation, nor did it explain how it defines the alleged excessive use of benefits, which reinforces the ideological nature of the measure and its link to the extreme right-wing migration agenda in the United States.

Documents cited by Fox News indicate that consulates have been told to deny new visa applications while the State Department reevaluates screening and verification procedures.

Among the factors that would be considered are age, health, proficiency in English and financial situation of the applicants, expanding the margin of discretion of consular agents.

Itamaraty stated that it had not been officially informed about the decision. Members of Brazilian diplomacy say they are trying to understand what the practical effects of the measure will be, including whether ongoing processes may be interrupted or whether there will simply be greater rigor in the analysis of new requests.

North American authorities interviewed by the press indicated that the government can carry out specific assessments by country, analyzing, for example, the number of immigrants accessing public benefits.

The possibility reinforces the political nature of the decision, adopted amid the resumption of a xenophobic and restrictive migration agenda.

In addition to Brazil, the affected countries would include Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand and Yemen, covering regions of Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.

The suspension occurs in a broader context of tightening US immigration policy since Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

On Monday (12), the State Department announced that it had revoked more than 100,000 visas in the last year, including permits granted to students and specialized workers.

The government also intensified deportation operations and expanded control mechanisms, such as checking applicants’ social networks and stricter application of the so-called “public charge” clause, an instrument of immigration legislation used to deny visas to foreigners considered likely to depend on state assistance.

So far, the State Department has not said whether there will be formal exceptions nor has it set a deadline for reviewing the suspension. The uncertainty creates insecurity for families and immigrants in the process of regularization and adds a new point of diplomatic tension between Washington and the affected countries.