A coalition of 75 House Democrats is calling for the reversal of the State Department’s pause on processing immigrant visas for 75 countries.

The request was made in a letter the lawmakers sent to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

What You Need To Know

  • Seventy-five House Democrats are calling for the reversal of the State Department’s pause on processing immigrant visas for 75 countries

  • The visa processing pause, which took effect last week, impacts nearly 40% of all countries

  • A letter co-authored by New York Reps. Ritchie Torres and Yvette Clarke states that the “policy is backwards, antiquated and does significantly more harm than good”

The letter, co-authored by New York Reps. Ritchie Torres and Yvette Clarke and first shared with Spectrum News, states that the “policy is backwards, antiquated and does significantly more harm than good.”

The visa processing pause, which took effect last week, impacts nearly 40% of all countries. 

Speaking with Spectrum News, Torres pointed to analysis that found the policy could cut legal immigration in half over the next year. 

“I think it is telling about the motive of the Trump administration, right?” Torres said.

“The administration is not only intent on targeting undocumented immigrants. It’s intent on dismantling the whole system of legal immigration, with a particular focus on legal immigrants of color,” he added. “Seventy-five countries that Donald Trump has chosen to target overwhelmingly come from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. That’s not coincidence — that’s a consequence of a deliberately discriminatory policy.” 

The letter also makes several requests, including a cost-benefit analysis of the policy, to be submitted to Congress by Feb. 20. 

The Trump administration has defended the visa pause, writing that immigrants from the countries are more apt to become “public charges” — meaning they are more likely to depend on government assistance.

The letter states, “Public charge has long been an inadmissibility ground under the Immigration and Nationality Act, and the agencies — Department of State and Department of Homeland Security — know how to conduct individualized assessments of applicants to determine whether they are likely to become a public charge. Why does the Administration now need a blanket pause on all applicants?” 

Torres told Spectrum News, “If the administration fails to justify the policy that it has adopted, then it’s all but admitting that it’s engaging in discrimination.”

“By what logic do you allow white immigrants from South Africa, but you prohibit legal immigration from Africa, Latin America, the Carribean?” he added. “It feels like discrimination, and we’re calling the administration out for it.”