The 75-Country Visa Crackdown: How Does It Affect Immigration in Palm Beach County?

Immigration policies in the United States are changing rapidly, and these policy changes are continuing into 2026. The latest development is a “visa crackdown” that affects a whopping 75 countries. What should you do if your country is on this list? How does this affect your plans going forward? You might want to raise these questions during a consultation with a Palm Beach County immigration lawyer.

The “Visa Crackdown” Explained

In January of 2026, the State Department announced that it had stopped issuing visas to certain countries. In explaining the decision, the State Department noted on X that immigrants from these nations are statistically more likely to “go on welfare” and “take from the American people.”

Regardless of whether there is any truth to these sentiments, the visa crackdown itself is very real. A staggering number of nations around the world are affected, and the move is putting immigration plans on hold for countless families.

In Central and South America, countries such as Brazil, Cuba, Guatemala, Jamaica, Nicaragua, and Uruguay are on the list. In terms of European countries, nations like Albania, Moldova, and Belarus were also mentioned. In the Asia-Pacific region, affected countries include Afghanistan, Cambodia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Russia, Syria, Thailand, and Yemen. Finally, African nations like Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, Somalia, and Uganda are on the list.

Can I Still Emigrate From These Countries?

If you hail from one of these countries, you will not be able to obtain an immigrant visa as of January 21st, 2026. While the government says that this is a “pause,” there is no word on when people from these countries can expect the State Department to resume operations.

If you already have an immigration visa and you’re from one of these countries, you generally don’t need to worry. If you have not yet submitted your application, you might want to consider alternative options.

These alternative options include tourist visas, student visas, temporary work visas, and more. Consider speaking with an immigration attorney to learn more about how this visa ban affects your family, and the options that might remain.

Expect Further Reductions in Immigration Numbers

The current administration has made similar moves in the past, banning people from many other nations from certain visas as well. As a result, there is every reason to believe that additional bans and restrictions will continue to occur in the future.

Can a Palm Beach County Immigration Lawyer Help Me? 

A Palm Beach County immigration lawyer may be able to help if you want to learn more about recent policy changes, including the 75-country visa crackdown. Many other policy changes have occurred during the last year or so, and it is difficult to keep track of these developments. Lawyers stay up-to-date on the latest immigration news in order to give you more accurate, effective guidance. Contact The Devore Law Group today to learn more about your next steps.

Sources:

 bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-15/here-s-the-list-of-75-countries-affected-by-us-visa-crackdown

reuters.com/world/us/us-suspend-visa-processing-75-nations-next-week-fox-news-reports-2026-01-14/

ctvnews.ca/canada/article/are-you-impacted-by-the-us-immigrant-visa-suspension-we-want-to-hear-from-you/