The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump will suspend the issuance of U.S. immigrant visas to nationals of 75 countries, including Somalia and Iran, starting on the 21st (local time).

The Department of State announced via its X account on the 14th, “We will suspend visa issuance procedures for nationals of 75 countries where immigrants receive U.S. welfare benefits at an unacceptable level.”

The Department of State said, “This suspension will remain in place until we can be certain that new immigrants do not siphon off the wealth of U.S. citizens.”

The Department of State explained, “This suspension of visa issuance affects dozens of countries, including Somalia, Haiti, Iran, and Eritrea, and immigrants from these countries often become a public charge upon entry to the United States.” A public charge refers to a person who depends on government subsidies for basic livelihood and welfare services.

The Department of State added, “We are working to ensure that the generosity of the American people is no longer exploited.” It also said, “The Trump administration will always put America first.”

Although the Department of State has not yet released the full list of affected countries, according to a list reported by The Washington Post (WP), Russia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Afghanistan, Somalia, Nigeria, Egypt, Yemen, Iraq, Thailand, Mongolia, and others were included. South Korea was not included.

In a separate post on X, the Department of State also stated, “If you come to the United States to exploit Americans, President Trump will send you to prison and send you back to your place of origin.”

In the case of Somalia, many Somali immigrants were implicated in a subsidy embezzlement case in Minnesota in the United States, leading U.S. immigration authorities to keep Somalia under watch. The inclusion of Iran appears to be connected to the internal political situation in Iran, where anti-government protests are ongoing.