The U.S. State Department has announced a pause in immigrant visa processing for nationals from 75 countries, including several South Asian nations: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and Afghanistan.

In a social media post issued on January 14, the department described immigrants from the affected countries as taking “welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates.”

“The freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people,” the post stated. It further noted that “The pause impacts dozens of countries – including Somalia, Haiti, Iran, and Eritrea – whose immigrants often become public charges on the United States upon arrival.”

Emphasizing the administration’s position, the statement added, “We are working to ensure the generosity of the American people will no longer be abused.”

Here is the full list of countries:  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

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