Senator Markey Slams Trump Administration Decision to Freeze Immigrant Visa Processing for 75 Countries

Washington (January 14, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today released the following statement slamming the Trump administration’s decision to stop processing immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries seeking to live in the United States.
“The State Department’s cruel decision to ban immigrant visa applicants from 75 countries is an economic, moral, and security failure,”said Senator Markey. “This sweeping ban will separate countless families in Massachusetts and all across our nation from their loved ones. It will hurt universities and businesses in the Commonwealth that rely on students and employees coming to the United States to study and create businesses and jobs. It will diminish our standing as a beacon for immigrants from around the world. We cannot allow the Trump administration to write bigotry into U.S. immigration policy. I urge the State Department to reverse course and resume visa processing.”
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