'Largest reduction since the Great Depression,' think tank says; Muslim-majority countries see drops of over 90%

China down 31%, Japan 25%; nonimmigrant visas for students and workers also declining

Immigrants wait at a US Citizenship and Immigration Services field office for citizenship interviews. [Getty Images]
Immigrants wait at a US Citizenship and Immigration Services field office for citizenship interviews. [Getty Images]

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Legal immigration to the United States plunged to roughly half its previous level in early 2026 as the Donald Trump administration's restrictive immigration policies took effect.

According to The New York Times, the Department of State issued 26,000 immigrant visas in February — down from a monthly average of 52,000 before Trump took office.

By region, Central Asia saw the steepest drop, with legal immigrant visa issuances falling 99 percent. Africa was down 89 percent, Eastern Europe 84 percent, the Middle East 81 percent, and Australia and Oceania 73 percent.

By country, new immigrant visa issuances for South Koreans fell 19 percent, from a monthly average of 420 in 2023–2024 to 340 in February. China was down 31 percent, Japan 25 percent, and India 16 percent.

The New York Times said immigration from 91 countries has become effectively impossible, with Muslim-majority nations particularly hard hit — down more than 90 percent.

Canada and Mexico, which were not subject to visa restrictions, bucked the trend, with legal immigrant visa issuances rising 142 percent and 17 percent, respectively. The Philippines, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Spain also saw increases.

The libertarian-leaning Cato Institute said the scale of the Trump administration's reduction in legal immigration is the largest since the Herbert Hoover administration (1929–1933) during the Great Depression, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic period.

Nonimmigrant visa issuances are also declining. Student and worker visas fell 30 percent compared with last year, while tourism and business visas dropped 25 percent.

India and China were not formally designated as entry-banned countries, but new regulations and newly imposed fees have caused a sharp drop in student and work visa issuances from both countries, The New York Times said.

The administration's sweeping immigration restrictions have also led to a growing number of families being separated.

Daniel Brackins, a US citizen, said his wife's legal immigration process was denied at the final stage under the new policy, and that his son was born in Kazakhstan as a result. "Watching my son grow up over video calls has put my wife and my relationship under great stress," he said.

Willian Nelson Hernandez Morales had been living in New Jersey with his wife and four children when he traveled to Guatemala and found himself stranded. He had entered the United States illegally as a minor 26 years ago and married a US citizen in 2021. He had been seeking legal permanent residency on that basis, but the visa process stalled and he has been unable to return to the US since January.

The Trump administration designated 12 countries — Iran, Yemen, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Libya, Somalia and Sudan — as entry-banned late last year, and has since barred nationals of 39 countries in total from receiving visas or entering the country. It has also abolished the previous lottery system for H-1B skilled worker visas.


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