Brazilians who had been seeking to move to the United States said they were frustrated after the U.S. suspended processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries, including Brazil, beginning Wednesday. The Trump administration said the move was aimed at addressing concerns that nationals from those countries will require public assistance while living in the United States.
The step builds on earlier immigration and travel bans affecting nearly 40 countries, and it is part of the Trump administration’s efforts to tighten U.S. entry standards for foreigners, the reporting said. Applicants and immigration professionals in Brazil described a sense of uncertainty as cases were frozen and they waited to understand what would come next.
Among those affected was Rodrigo Perenha, a 44-year-old co-founder and senior executive at fintech Kamino. Perenha said he had been planning to apply for a professional visa category after a prior EB-2 NIW application—an immigration route described in the report for candidates whose work could be considered in the national interest—was refused last year.
Perenha said the process requires significant preparation and that he had been working on it when news of the suspension broke. “Doing this process takes a lot of work. You must look for references, you ask for help with letters… It’s a very long process,” he said. “The feeling is sadness for everything that was done and then, eventually, having it frozen without knowing what’s going to happen.”
Even as he said the delay was difficult, Perenha told the Associated Press he applied on Tuesday and tried to keep his focus on his case. “What I try to hold on to is the hope that my case is well prepared, solid, that I have a story to defend it, and that we’ll be able to move forward.”
The U.S. Embassy in Brazil, according to the report, said applicants can still submit their applications and attend interviews, but no visas will be issued to nationals of countries such as Brazil during the suspension period. The embassy also said the suspension does not affect people seeking temporary entry to the United States, including tourists and students.
An AG Immigration law firm study, using data obtained from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, estimated that in 2023 28,050 Brazilian citizens received permanent U.S. residency, the report said. It also said Brazil ranked tenth among countries with the highest number of approved immigration applications, after countries including Mexico, India and Cuba.
Pedro Zava, who works with the AG Immigration law firm, said some clients told him they felt the government was tightening rules even when they were trying to immigrate legally. “The phrase I heard the most was: ‘We’re doing everything right, and they’re doing this to us,’” he said, adding that while people had since calmed down, anxiety persisted.
Other immigration specialists said the criteria could change. Pedro Drummond, an immigration attorney and partner at Drummond Advisors, said there is “a sense that it will be the same — a short suspension with some relevant changes in the criteria of the public charge.” He said it is “Most likely the criteria will be stricter now than it was before,” while also saying it was hard to speculate about details.
The report described how immigrants seeking entry to the United States are screened as part of the process, including medical examinations for communicable diseases and questions about histories such as drug or alcohol use, mental health conditions or violence, along with required vaccinations. It also noted that previous U.S. steps affecting foreign students included halting the scheduling of new visa interviews and later restarting the process with additional requirements, including that applicants unlock their social media accounts for government review.
Elcio Vieira, a project manager in the city of Sao Jose dos Campos in Brazil’s Sao Paulo state, said he is also seeking an EB-2 NIW visa and plans to move to Texas or Florida with his wife and four children. Vieira told the Associated Press that when he found out visas had been suspended, he felt tense and uncertain, but he said he saw a rationale in the administration’s approach. “I see it in a positive light. (…) They’re creating barriers to prevent flaws in the process, to prevent people from bypassing it,” he said.
Vieira said he has adjusted to the delay and intends to pursue the process again when it resumes. “The U.S. is a country of opportunities and I’m going after them,” he said.