The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has abruptly suspended immigrant visa applications at consulates around the world, the Financial Times reported on the 25th.
The U.S. State Department said it took the step to allow "in-depth training" for embassy and consular staff, according to the report. Immigrant visa applicants who had interviews scheduled received emails saying their appointments had been rescheduled and that they would be notified later of a new date and time.
A State Department spokesperson said visa applicants should not rely on public welfare benefits set aside for Americans, and explained that the training for embassy and consular staff was intended to prepare them to assess all visa applicants consistently. The department did not specify when applications would resume.
The Trump administration has been pushing ahead with tighter entry screening despite repeated setbacks in U.S. courts. The latest move came shortly after a federal district court in Manhattan ruled on the 21st that the State Department's suspension of visa issuance for 75 countries — including Somalia, Haiti, Brazil and Russia — was unlawful.
A day earlier, the State Department said it was preparing measures, in cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security, to cancel up to 200,000 visas held by foreigners who entered the United States on short-term visas and then applied for asylum. If carried out, it would be the largest bulk visa cancellation in U.S. history.
