The U.S. State Department just dropped a bombshell: Beginning Jan. 21, visa processing will be frozen for citizens from 75 countries.

Newsweek reports the government shared this “indefinite” halt is meant to reexamine how officials screen applicants under the "public charge" rule, which assesses whether travelers and citizen-hopefuls could become a liability later on, requiring government support.​

Many of the countries on this sprawling list are Black and Brown nations across Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, like Nigeria, Somalia, Haiti, Ghana, Ethiopia, Egypt, Jamaica, and Brazil, alongside others such as Russia, Iran, Iraq, Thailand, and Yemen.

The groups that could be impacted most are the swaths of students eyeing U.S. colleges, workers, and refugees fleeing dangerous circumstances, including wars. For many, this latest move puts countless people in limbo, with no clear end date in sight.

For some, the news comes as no surprise. In November, the administration also shared that U.S. Visa applicants could also now be banned for poor health. In a 2024 report from The Commonwealth Fund, data showed that the U.S spends more on healthcare than any other high-income country. Their report also indicated that “Americans are sicker, die younger and struggle to afford essential health care.”

This latest effort echoes past restrictions, potentially stranding thousands who’ve already jumped through hoops like interviews and paperwork.

As CBS News shares, refugee admissions have also been frozen except for a few groups, particularly white Afrikaners coming from South Africa.