U.S. Legal Immigration Halved Early in 2026 as Expanded Visa Restrictions Hit Applicants from 91 Countries
State Department data show immigrant visa issuances dropped to 26,000 in February 2026 from a pre-administration monthly average of 52,000, following travel bans and pauses affecting dozens of nations, with the steepest declines in Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.
Admin · Oct 22, 2026 · 4 min read