The Trump administration’s move to indefinitely suspend processing immigrant visas from 75 nations is not good for the country, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont said on Thursday.
He said the crackdown on immigrant visas announced by the U.S. State Department sends the wrong message.
“This is a country that welcomes hardworking immigrants, those who want to come to this country legally,” Lamont said.
“The idea that you are trying to shut that down and discriminate against 75 countries because you think they are not going to be hard working – bad idea. It’s not America,” he said.
The pause will affect visa applications from Latin American countries, including Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay; Balkan countries, such as Bosnia and Albania; South Asian countries, Pakistan and Bangladesh; and many nations in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean, according to a State Department spokesperson.
Applicants from these countries are at high risk of becoming a public charge on local, state, and federal government resources, the spokesperson said.
Tourist and business visas are not affected. The pause will take effect on January 21.
