The administration of US President Donald Trump has paused visa appointments for applicants worldwide as part of a broader immigration crackdown during his second term, according to the State Department.
A State Department spokesperson said on Tuesday that the department had launched a global training programme for consular officers at US embassies and consulates, adding that visa appointments would be adjusted to accommodate the training.
The department did not provide details about the duration of the training or the number of appointments affected. It said the initiative was aimed at helping consular officers identify applicants who were likely to become dependent on US public benefits and ensure that visa applications were assessed “comprehensively and consistently”.
The pause was first reported by the Financial Times, which said immigrant visa applicants with scheduled interviews had received emails informing them that their appointments were being rescheduled. Applicants were told they would receive further notification regarding new dates.
The development comes as the Trump administration pursues an aggressive immigration crackdown that has included visa and green card revocations and increased scrutiny of applications over various grounds, including political views and participation in pro-Palestinian protests against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
President Trump has defended the measures as necessary to strengthen domestic security.
The administration’s immigration policies have, however, faced legal challenges. On Friday, a US judge struck down a policy that had suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, ruling that the measure exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statutory authority.
Trump’s immigration crackdown has also drawn criticism from human rights organisations, which have accused the administration of discriminatory practices and violating free speech and due process rights. Rights groups have further warned that the measures have contributed to an increasingly hostile environment for ethnic minorities and raised concerns over racial profiling.
While Trump campaigned in 2024 on a pledge to curb illegal immigration, his administration has also introduced measures affecting legal immigration, including new and costly fees for applicants seeking certain work visas.
