US Reduces African Visa Approvals by 89% Under Trump’s Immigration Policies

• The White House confirmed that legal immigration fell sharply following policy changes introduced by the Trump administration early in 2026
• Africa recorded an 89% decline in visa approvals, making it one of the worst-affected regions in the world alongside Central Asia
• The figures revealed sweeping reductions across nearly every region, while Canada and Mexico saw visa approvals rise under the same framework

Africa has recorded an 89% decline in US visa approvals following a series of immigration restrictions introduced by the Trump administration in the early months of 2026, according to figures released in a White House statement on Monday, 19 September.

The statement, which was subsequently reported by the New York Times, confirmed that the administration had reduced legal immigration by half through policies that imposed visa restrictions on nationals from nearly half the world.

Africa among the worst-affected regions

The regional breakdown published alongside the White House statement shows that Africa's 89% drop was surpassed only by Central Asia, where visa approvals collapsed by 99%. The Middle East fell by 81%, Eastern Europe by 84%, South America by 60%, and the Caribbean by 53%. South Asia recorded a 63% decline, while Australia and Oceania dropped by 73%. East Asia fell by 33%, Central America by 30%, and Southeast Asia by 17%. Western Europe saw a comparatively modest reduction of 16%.

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"Legal migration fell sharply under Trump immigration policies adopted early this year," the White House stated.

By contrast, Mexico saw approvals increase by 17%, and Canada recorded a 142% rise under the same policy framework, pointing to a clear geographic distinction in how the restrictions were applied.

Impact on African nationals seeking entry to the US

The Trump administration introduced its immigration measures through executive action, targeting legal pathways including family-based, employment-based, and diversity visa programmes. For nationals from Ghana and across Africa more broadly, the consequences have been significant, with sharply reduced access to immigrant visas affecting families separated by borders, skilled workers seeking employment in the United States, and students pursuing academic programmes.

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The scale of the decline across African and Middle Eastern applicants, set against the near-total collapse in Central Asia, indicates a deliberate geographic prioritisation within the administration's immigration framework. North American neighbours, by contrast, were largely spared or benefited from the policy shifts.

The White House figures represent some of the first official data to quantify the effect of the administration's early immigration measures on legal visa processing across different world regions.

US launches platform helping foreigners find military jobs

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the United States Army had published an online careers platform listing 113 military job opportunities across six specialised categories.

The portal allows users to browse or search for roles in mechanics and engineering, support and logistics, signal and intelligence, aviation and aerial defence, science and medicine, and ground forces.

Source: YEN.com.gh