The administration of President Donald Trump has paused visa appointments at US embassies and consulates worldwide as part of a new training programme for consular officers amid an intensified immigration crackdown.
A US State Department spokesperson said on Tuesday that the department had launched a global training initiative across its diplomatic missions, adding that visa appointments would be adjusted to accommodate the exercise.
The spokesperson said the training was designed to help consular officers screen applicants who may become dependent on US public benefits and ensure that visa applications are evaluated “comprehensively and consistently.”
However, the State Department did not provide details on the nature of the training or how long the adjustments to visa appointments would last.
The pause was reported earlier by the Financial Times, which said applicants for immigrant visas who had already been scheduled for interviews at US embassies and consulates had received emails informing them that their appointments were being rescheduled.
According to the report, the applicants were told they would receive further notification of new interview dates.
The development comes as Trump has intensified his immigration enforcement campaign since returning to the White House for a second term, pursuing a broad crackdown that has included deportations, visa and green card revocations, and increased scrutiny of immigration applications.
The administration has also rejected applications on grounds including applicants’ political views and participation in pro-Palestinian protests against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Trump has defended the measures, saying the crackdown is intended to strengthen domestic security.
The administration has, however, suffered legal setbacks over some of its immigration policies.
On Friday, a US judge struck down a Trump administration policy that suspended immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, ruling that the measure exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statutory authority.
Human rights organisations have widely condemned the administration’s immigration policies, describing them as discriminatory and arguing that some measures violate free speech and due process rights.
Rights groups have also warned that the crackdown has created an increasingly unsafe environment for ethnic minorities in the US, with concerns over racial profiling, particularly against communities affected by immigration enforcement.
Although Trump campaigned in 2024 on a promise to stop illegal immigration, his administration has also introduced measures that have made legal immigration more difficult.
These include new and significantly higher fees for applicants seeking certain work visas, adding to concerns among businesses, immigrants and rights advocates about the administration’s broader approach to legal migration.
Boluwatife Enome
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