The Administration of United States President Donald Trump suspended the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Russia and Iran.
A spokesperson for the State Department confirmed to EFE the number of countries affected, without specifying which ones they are, although the Fox News network had access to the list.
Some of the Latin American and Caribbean countries included are Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua and Uruguay.
Also included are Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Morocco, Nigeria, Russia, Somalia, Thailand and Yemen.
According to Fox News, the pause will begin on January 21 and will continue indefinitely while the State Department reassesses verification procedures.
Immigration visas are those that allow permanent residence in the United States, while non-immigrant visas, intended for temporary stays such as tourism, studies or temporary jobs, will not be affected by the suspension.
Tommy Pigott, spokesman for the State Department, stated that the objective of this measure is to prevent the entry into the United States of foreigners who can resort to social assistance and public benefits.
Last November, the Trump administration ordered US consulates around the world to apply guidance that instructs them to deny visas to applicants deemed likely to rely on public aid.
Thus, consular officials can reject visas based on a wide range of factors, such as health, age, English proficiency or financial situation.
With information from EFE.
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