美国国务院将暂停向来自 75 个国家的人员签发移民签证，包括 Brazil、Somalia 和 Iran，自 2026 年 1 月 21 日开始。该暂停仅适用于寻求在美国永久居住与工作的申请人，不适用于游客或临时工作者，并被描述为针对那些被判断在美国生活期间可能需要公共救助（“public charges”）的人；此举叠加在过去一年更严格的审查规则之上。

官员预计对家庭类移民的冲击最大，影响配偶、子女及其他直系亲属，主要是美国公民的亲属，他们原本可获得永久居留资格。国务院称在重新评估程序期间，旅游出行应继续进行，包括为今年 World Cup 预计到来的“数十万”海外访客；发言人 Tommy Pigott 表示目标是终止会成为 public charges 的申请人对移民系统的滥用，但批评者指出联邦法早已有一项已有百年历史的 “public charge” 排除条款与广泛的审查体系。

反对该理由的证据包括 Cato Institute 与 American Immigration Council 等研究，认为移民使用的福利少于美国本土出生者。国务院数据显示，美国在 2024 年签发了超过 600,000 份移民签证，其中绝大多数发给美国公民或现有绿卡持有者的直系亲属，这意味着对 75 国的暂停可能压缩年规模约 600,000 的法律移民流入中的相当大一部分。

The US State Department will pause issuing immigrant visas for people from 75 countries, including Brazil, Somalia and Iran, starting Jan. 21, 2026. The pause applies only to applicants seeking to live and work permanently in the US, not tourists or temporary workers, and is framed as targeting would-be residents judged likely to require public assistance (“public charges”); it builds on stricter vetting rules imposed over the past year.

Officials expect the biggest impact on family-based immigration, affecting spouses, children and other immediate relatives, largely of US citizens, who would otherwise qualify for permanent residency. The department says tourist travel should continue while procedures are reassessed, including “hundreds of thousands” of overseas visitors expected for this year’s World Cup; spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the aim is to end abuse by applicants who might become public charges, though critics note federal law already contains a century-old “public charge” bar and extensive screening.

Evidence cited against the rationale includes studies from the Cato Institute and the American Immigration Council finding immigrants use fewer benefits than US-born Americans. State Department data show the US issued more than 600,000 immigrant visas in 2024, with the vast majority going to immediate relatives of US citizens or current green card holders, implying the 75-country pause could constrain a substantial share of an annual lawful flow on the order of 600,000.