Trump administration halts global immigrant visa requests for ‘training initiative’, cites screening needs

The US has paused immigrant visa applications globally due to a “planned global training initiative” that will allow closer screening and vetting of applicants, a State Department spokesperson told HT on Wednesday, a move that comes amid measures by the Donald Trump administration to tighten legal and illegal entry avenues into the country.President Donald Trump's second term in office has been plastered with a range of immigration crackdown measures, to curb both legal and illegal migrants. (Bloomberg)The screening will ensure that visa applicants are not likely to become a “public charge” who rely on public benefits reserved for American citizens, the official said.Also Read I From H-1B fee to OPT charge for job-after-college degree: The US visa moves Indians need to trackThe department has been working since early this year to ensure consular officers are equipped to evaluate visa applicants comprehensively and consistently. “In early August, we launched a global training initiative at all of our embassies and consulates worldwide. To accommodate this in-depth training, appointments for visa services will be adjusted,” the spokesperson said in response to a query from HT.The State Department did not specify details on the training and its timeline. It said that changes to visa interview appointments, embassies and consulates will be communicated directly to visa applicants.Latest in a series of visa crackdown measuresThe training exercise, which the administration said aims to “protect the American people by upholding the highest standards of screening and vetting of visa applicants,” is the latest in a series of moves by the US to curb immigration.Earlier this month, the State Department cancelled 175,000 visas of foreign nationals who allegedly violated the terms of the document this month. It is reportedly also planning to revoke roughly 200,000 tourist visas issued between 2016 and 2026 whose holders have applied or are planning to apply for asylum.In its crackdown, the Trump administration has also made legal immigration more difficult - for example, by imposing new and expensive fees for applicants of certain work visas.The US is considering a fresh $103,265 application fee for H-1B visa petitions, which will also cover applicants within the United States. The change could impact a large number of Indian professionals and students currently living in the US.Also Read I US pauses all immigrant visa appointments globally amid H-1B row, crackdown: ReportDisrupted lives, particularly of IndiansIndian students will also face greater restrictions, with the US government ending “duration of status” for student visas. The policy earlier allowed foreign students to stay in the US legally so long as they maintained their student status. Plans for a $100,000 fee on foreign students utilising the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program to work in America after graduating from a US university are also under consideration.Immigration lawyers said that the latest move has created significant uncertainty for visa applicants. “Applicants are being told that interviews will be rescheduled, but without a clear timeline for when normal processing will resume. For families who have already made travel, employment, housing, or relocation decisions around an interview date, even a temporary disruption can have substantial consequences,” said Ana Gabriela Urizar, immigration attorney at Manifest Law.Also Read I Trump administration pauses US visa interviews worldwide - here’s why applicants may have to wait longerTrump’s aggressive deportation drive and immigration crackdown also includes revocations of visas and green cards and rejection of applications over a range of reasons like political opinions and pro-Palestinian protests against US ally Israel’s assault on Gaza. He says the crackdown aims to improve domestic security. The crackdown has faced some legal setbacks. A US judge on Friday struck down a Trump administration policy suspending the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, saying that the policy exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statutory authority.