Table of Contents
Why Did Legal Immigration Fall by Half?
Because Trump policies, including an expanded travel ban, closed the door for nearly half the world. State Department data show that immigrant visas fell from an average of about 52,000 a month before the current administration to 26,000 in February 2026. The policies that took effect late last year and early this year made immigration all but impossible from 91 countries and reduced the number of visas available from another 61. In January an expanded travel ban blocked nationals of 39 countries from receiving visas or entering, and a pause on issuance barred immigrants from 52 more. Muslim immigration is down 90 percent. Legal immigration cuts at this scale have not been seen since the 1920s.
The Regional Numbers
Central Asia: -99 percent.
Africa: -89 percent.
Eastern Europe: -84 percent.
Middle East: -81 percent.
Australia and Oceania: -73 percent.
South Asia: -63 percent.
South America: -60 percent.
Caribbean: -53 percent.
Africa and the Middle East were hit particularly hard. Immigration from Muslim-majority countries plunged by more than 90 percent. Countries that were already low-volume became near-zero. Countries that were high-volume, especially in Africa and the Muslim world, fell by the same proportion.
What the Policy Did
The expanded rules listed 39 countries for a full block on visas and entry, combined with the pause that stopped immigrant visa issuance for dozens more. Together they cover 91 countries where immigration became effectively impossible and 61 where the numbers were sharply reduced. The first year of the administration saw only about a 10 percent decline. The sharp drop arrived when the expanded rules took effect. Refugee admissions from majority-Muslim countries fell to zero in the same window. Family-based immigrant visas fell by roughly 95 percent for those nationalities.
Why the Scale Matters
A cut of half the monthly immigrant visa total is not a seasonal dip. It is a structural change in who can become a permanent resident. The 1920s comparison is the historical scale. The current reduction is nationality-based, not quota-based, but the effect on the total is the same. Central Asia at 99 percent and Africa at 89 percent are the extremes. South Asia at 63 percent and the Caribbean at 53 percent are the mid-range. All of them move in the same direction.
Strategic Implication for Permanent Residence
The travel ban halves the flow that produces green cards. It concentrates the reduction on the regions and nationalities the policy named. Muslim immigration down 90 percent is the headline number. The regional list is the detail. The 26,000 visas in February against a 52,000 average is the measurement. The strategic result is a permanent-resident pipeline that is half its prior size and far more selective by origin. The travel ban is the policy that produced it. The travel ban is also the reason the 1920s comparison now applies.
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FAQs
Why Did Legal Immigration Fall by Half?
Because Trump policies, including an expanded travel ban, closed the door for nearly half the world. State Department data show that immigrant visas fell from an average of about 52,000 a month before the current administration to 26,000 in February 2026. The policies that took effect late last year and early this year made immigration all but impossible from 91 countries and reduced the number of visas available from another 61. In January an expanded travel ban blocked nationals of 39 countries from receiving visas or entering, and a pause on issuance barred immigrants from 52 more. Muslim immigration is down 90 percent. Legal immigration cuts at this scale have not been seen since the 1920s.
