The Trump administration has paused all immigrant visa applications worldwide in the latest move to crack down on immigration to the US.
The US State Department said the pause was to allow embassy and consular staff to carry out "in-depth training" as the government attempts to limit access to applicants who officials think will need US assistance.
Training initiative launched
Current visa applicants with interviews at embassies and consulates were sent emails telling them their appointments were being rescheduled, according to the Financial Times. They added that applicants would also be told when a new date and time is set for their appointments.
A State Department spokesperson told the Mirror: "A more prosperous America means ensuring that visa applicants are not likely to become a public charge, as defined under US law and regulation, and not likely to become dependent on US public benefits reserved for qualified Americans in need."
The spokesperson added that "a global training initiative" had been launched in early August to "ensure all consular officers are fully equipped to evaluate every visa applicant comprehensively and consistently".
Revocation of asylum visas
This pause comes just two days after the Trump administration said it would work to revoke visas from up to 200,000 people who applied for or are currently seeking asylum status in the US.
Unless revised, the State Department is expected to announce in the coming weeks the revocation of so-called B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 whose holders have sought asylum or are now seeking asylum. B1 visas are generally issued for business trips and B2 visas for tourism, family visits or medical care.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said: "We are co-ordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the non-immigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently."
Broader immigration measures
Other immigration measures by the Trump administration have included demanding more information about visa applicants' social media histories, requiring bonds worth thousands of dollars to process visas and banning people from certain countries altogether.
Trump has also tried several times to end birthright citizenship, but those challenges have been rejected by courts, including the US Supreme Court.
