The State Department did not provide details on the training or say how long it would last. It said the initiative was intended to help consular officers screen out applicants deemed likely to become dependent on US public benefits and ensure visa applications are evaluated “comprehensively and consistently”.

Visa appointments being rescheduled

The pause was first reported by the Financial Times, which said immigrant visa applicants with scheduled interviews at US embassies and consulates received emails informing them that their appointments were being rescheduled and that they would be notified of new dates.

The move comes as the Trump administration pursues a broad immigration crackdown that has included deportations, visa and green card revocations, and the rejection of applications for various reasons, including applicants’ political opinions and participation in pro-Palestinian protests against the Israeli occupation’s genocide in Gaza.

The administration has said its immigration measures are aimed at “improving domestic security”.

Trump campaigned in 2024 on a platform of stopping illegal immigration, but his administration has also introduced measures affecting legal immigration, including new and expensive fees for applicants seeking certain work visas.

Immigration crackdown faces legal challenges

The administration’s immigration policies have faced legal setbacks. On Friday, a US judge struck down a policy suspending the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, ruling that the measure exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statutory authority.

Human rights groups have widely condemned the administration’s immigration crackdown, arguing that some of its measures are discriminatory and violate free speech and due process rights. Rights groups have also warned that the crackdown has created an unsafe environment in the US, particularly for ethnic minorities who have raised concerns about racial profiling.

Mass visa revocations for asylum seekers

Additionally, the Trump administration is preparing to revoke the non-immigrant visas of foreign nationals who entered the United States on business or tourism visas before later applying for asylum, The Guardian had reported, citing a State Department announcement.

On Monday, a State Department spokesperson said the department was coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security to identify people whose visitor visas could be revoked after they sought asylum. The move reportedly targets B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026.

The State Department has not disclosed how many people could be affected, but documents reviewed by the Associated Press suggest the measure could target as many as 200,000 individuals. If implemented on that scale, it would become the largest single mass visa revocation in US history.

Revoking a visa would not automatically result in deportation. Many affected individuals have asylum applications pending and would remain in the asylum process, although they would lose their previous status as business or tourism visitors.