NEW YORK (TIP): Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06) joined 74 of her colleagues in calling on Secretary Marco Rubio and Secretary Kristi Noem to reverse course on their decision to indefinitely halt immigrant visa processing for 75 countries.
On January 21, the Trump administration suspended immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, including more than a dozen countries in Asia. The U.S. visa suspension affects immediate relatives of U.S citizens as well as all family-sponsored, employer-sponsored, religious worker, diversity, and returning resident visas. 44 percent of Asian immigrant visa holders—over 135,000 individuals—will be affected by this policy change.
“The Trump administration’s decision to halt visas for nearly 40 percent of the world is ignorant and xenophobic. They have the audacity to tell immigrants to come here the ‘right way,’ while deliberately closing legal pathways that make that possible,” said Rep. Grace Meng, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. “This cruel policy leaves immigrants—who have been thoroughly vetted and have waited years to lawfully enter the United States—stuck in limbo. I join my colleagues in demanding that the administration reverse this decision immediately.”
The indefinite pause will block nearly half of all legal immigrants from entering the U.S. over the next year. Individuals from the affected countries represent 40 to 45 percent of all immigrant visas. With no clear timeline for resuming processing, the suspension will undoubtedly separate families, prohibit individuals who have completed the necessary steps to legally come to the U.S., and harm small businesses by stifling their growth.
The State Department justified the move by claiming foreign nationals from the impacted countries may be more likely to seek federally funded public benefits in the United States and become a “public charge,” despite longstanding restrictions that already prohibit immigrant visa recipients from accessing said benefits.
This decision is part of a broader and intensifying crackdown on legal immigration pathways by the Trump administration. Some of the countries targeted by the new immigrant visa ban, including Afghanistan, Laos, and Myanmar, already face partial or full restrictions on nonimmigrant visas. Other Asian and Pacific Islander nations were recently added to the expanded visa bond program that requires recipients of nonimmigrant visas, such as tourists and business travelers, to pay up to $15,000 to secure their visa. These financial barriers will make it nearly impossible for relatives overseas to visit family members in the United States.
In September, the Trump administration abruptly announced a $100,000 fee on new H-1B skilled worker visa applications, disproportionately impacting Indian professionals who make up the majority of H-1B holders and leaving many scrambling to return to the U.S from visiting family. The administration has since moved to expand social media screening for H-1B and H-4 applicants, extending visa stamping delays through 2027 and leaving thousands of Indian workers and families stuck overseas.
The administration has also revoked more than 100,000 visas, attacked birthright citizenship, halted all asylum decisions, and even canceled naturalization ceremonies for those on the verge of gaining U.S. citizenship.
The letter was signed by 75 Members of Congress, including CAPAC Chair Grace Meng, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke, Reps. Ritchie Torres, Yassamin Ansari; Gabe Amo; Wesley Bell; Shontel M. Brown; André Carson; Greg Casar; Sean Casten; Kathy Castor; Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick; Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr.; Jim Costa; Danny K. Davis; Debbie Dingell; Diana DeGette; Rosa L. DeLauro; Mark DeSaulnier; Nanette Diaz Barragán; Adriano Espaillat; Veronica Escobar; Dwight Evans; Sylvia R. Garcia; Al Green; Adelita S. Grijalva; Jimmy Gomez; Pablo José Hernández; Jahana Hayes; Chrissy Houlahan; Eleanor Holmes Norton; Robin L. Kelly; Jonathan L. Jackson; Raja Krishnamoorthi; Sydney Kamlager-Dove; Zoe Lofgren; George Latimer; LaMonica McIver; Sarah McBride; April McClain Delaney; Betty McCollum; Gregory W. Meeks; Kweisi Mfume; Gwen S. Moore; Kevin Mullin; Jerrold Nadler; Eleanor Holmes Norton; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; Chellie Pingree; Brittany Pettersen; Mark Pocan; Ayanna Pressley; Jimmy Panetta; Mark Pocan; Seth Moulton; David Scott; Brad Sherman; Halley M. Stevens; Darren Soto; Suhas Subramanyam; Eric Swalwell; Rashida Tlaib; Shri Thanedar; Dina Titus; Lori Trahan; Marc A. Veasey; Juan Vargas; Debbie Wasserman Schultz; Nydia M. Velázquez; and Bonnie Watson Coleman.
For Full text of the letter, visit www.theindianpanorama.news
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