The U.S. State Department has indefinitely frozen immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, including 22 African nations, effective January 21, 2026. This policy targets permanent residency applicants seeking green cards, citing concerns about welfare usage rates.

• 22 African countries are affected, including Somalia, Sudan, and Eritrea, with Somalia showing the highest welfare usage at 71.9%.
• The Trump administration invoked the “public charge” doctrine, allowing the U.S. to deny entry to immigrants likely to rely on government assistance.
• This freeze does not affect tourist, business, student, or temporary worker visas like the H-1B, though broader travel bans have already impacted temporary visa pathways for African countries, which collectively account for only 1.5% of U.S. H-1B approvals.