The United States has temporarily suspended visa processing appointments for applicants worldwide, as part of the immigration crackdown campaign being carried out by the administration of Republican President Donald Trump during his second term in the White House.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State told Reuters that a global training initiative has been launched at all U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, and that visa service appointments will be adjusted to accommodate this training.
The training aims to help consulates detect applicants who might rely on public services
The Department of State did not specify details about the training or its schedule, beyond indicating that the training aimed to help consular officers screen out applicants who were considered likely to become dependent on U.S. public benefits and to ensure a “thorough and consistent” evaluation of visa applicants.
Trump has carried out an aggressive campaign of deportations and immigration crackdowns that includes revoking visas and residence permits, as well as rejecting applications for various reasons, such as political opinions and protests in favor of Palestine against the attack by Israel, a U.S. ally, on Gaza.
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This crackdown campaign, according to the administration, aims to improve national security, although it has suffered some legal setbacks. On Friday, a judge overturned the suspension of immigrant visa issuance to citizens of 75 countries, considering that this policy exceeded the legal authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Trump’s policies to curb illegal immigration also affect legal migration
Trump’s campaign against immigration has been widely condemned by human rights groups for being discriminatory and contrary to freedom of expression and the right to due process. Human rights groups also claim that this campaign has created an unsafe environment in the U.S., especially for ethnic minorities, who have expressed concern about racial discrimination.
Although Trump campaigned in 2024 with the promise to end irregular immigration, his administration has also made legal immigration more difficult, for example, by imposing new and costly fees on applicants for certain work visas.
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