Immigration – DACA

U.S. Department of State Pauses Issuance of Immigrant Visas for Nationals of 75 Countries

As per NAFSA: Association of International Educators:

In a January 14, 2026 news posting (slightly updated on February 2, 2026) the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced a pause on the issuance of immigrant visas at U.S. consulates worldwide starting January 21, 2026 for nationals of 75 countries that DOS deems are ‘at high risk of public benefits usage.’ During the pause, DOS will conduct ‘a full review of all policies, regulations, and guidance to ensure that immigrants from these high-risk countries do not utilize welfare in the United States or become a public charge.’ The pause impacts only immigrant visa issuance and does not affect nonimmigrant visas such as B tourist visas, F student visas, J exchange visitor visas, H-1B work visas, etc.

Travel Ban Updates

As per NAFSA:

A pair of presidential proclamations function to restrict entry to the United States by nationals of certain countries.

• Presidential Proclamation 10949 of June 4, 2025: Restricting The Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats established a “full” travel ban on 12 countries and a “partial” travel ban on 7 countries, became effective at 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on June 9, 2025. Read:
  • Proclamation 10949 published on whitehouse.gov
  • Proclamation 10949 of June 4, 2025 published in the Federal Register at 90 FR 24497 (June 10, 2025)
  • White House Fact Sheet on Proclamation 10949
  • See NAFSA’s page on Proclamation 10949 for details
• Presidential Proclamation 10998 of December 16, 2025, also titled Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States, modified the lists of countries identified in Presidential Proclamation 10949, and becomes effective at 12:01 a.m eastern standard time on January 1, 2026. Read:
  • Proclamation 10998 of December 16, 2025 published on whitehouse.gov
  • Proclamation 10988 published in the Federal Register at 90 FR 59717 (December 19, 2025)
  • White House Fact Sheet on Proclamation 10998 of December 16, 2025
  • DOS News Alert: Suspension of Visa Issuance to Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States (February 2, 2026)

NAFSA: Association of International Educators is providing regular updates summarizing executive orders, Presidential proclamations, and other emerging developments under the second Trump administration:

• NAFSA: Association of International Educators — Executive and Regulatory Actions Under the Second Trump Administration

Español:

NAFSA: Association of International Educators está proporcionando actualizaciones periódicas que resumen órdenes ejecutivas, proclamaciones presidenciales y otros desarrollos emergentes bajo la segunda administración de Trump:

• • NAFSA: Asociación de Educadores Internacionales – Acciones Ejecutivas y Regulatorias Bajo la Segunda Administración de Trump

According to USCIS’s DACA page, “On Jan. 17, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a decision regarding the DACA Final Rule. Pursuant to the court’s order, USCIS will continue to accept and process DACA renewal requests and accompanying applications for employment authorization under the DACA regulations at 8 CFR 236.22 and 236.23. USCIS will continue to accept initial requests but will not process initial DACA requests at this time. Current grants of DACA and related Employment Authorization Documents remain valid until they expire, unless individually terminated.”

Here is the most recent information on DACA rulemaking and litigation:

“On Sept. 13, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas issued a decision finding the DACA Final Rule unlawful and expanding the original July 16, 2021 injunction and order of vacatur to cover the Final Rule. However, the court maintained a partial stay of the order for “all DACA recipients who received their initial DACA status prior to July 16, 2021.” See the Memorandum and Order (PDF, 1.35 MB) and Supplemental Order of Injunction (PDF, 72.53 KB).

Accordingly, current grants of DACA and related Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) remain valid until they expire, unless individually terminated.  In accordance with this decision, USCIS will continue to accept and process DACA renewal requests and accompanying applications for employment authorization under the DACA regulations at 8 CFR 236.22 and 236.23, as it has since October 31, 2022. We will also continue to accept initial DACA requests, but in accordance with the District Court’s order, we will not process initial DACA requests.

Current valid grants of DACA and related EADs will continue to be recognized as valid under the Final Rule. This means that individuals with DACA and related EADs do not have to submit a request for DACA or employment authorization until the appropriate time to seek renewal.

Please see the DACA Litigation Information Page for important updates and information related to court rulings on the DACA policy.”