168. The concept of the global village is fading away
The Trump administration has temporarily halted immigrant visa processing for people from 75 countries, effective January 21.
The official US administration statement says, “The freeze will remain in effect until the US can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people. We are working to ensure that the generosity of the American people will no longer be abused.”
The pause follows the suspension of asylum processing and the stoppage of citizenship and green card applications from countries that are already subject to restrictions.
The list features countries affected by war, US allies, and nations with longstanding migration connections to the United States.
Interestingly, Pakistan, which Donald Trump favors, also features on this list -
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Myanmar, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, North Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.
It is one of its broadest attempts to restrict legal entry into the United States.
The State Department has revoked over 100,000 visas since January 2025, when Trump returned to office. The Department of Homeland Security has deported more than 605,000 individuals, and an additional 2.5 million have left the country voluntarily.
The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has reached unprecedented levels, amid nationwide protests over Renee Good's killing that spotlight law enforcement practices.
What has happened to this man?
I cannot understand how it was the same Trump who, during his first State of the Union address, stated his support for legal immigration because immigrants “enrich our nation and strengthen our society in countless ways”. He also mentioned in that speech that he wanted people to enter the US “in the largest numbers ever, but they have to come in legally”.
When America's history is ultimately written, Trump will undoubtedly be recognized as the person who caused the greatest damage to democratic practices.
Now it seems the "global village" concept is fading in 2026.
With the invention of the internet, global commerce, supply chains, and real-time information sharing were made possible, turning the utopian global village into a tangible reality.
Later, "global village" was replaced with "Global Theater" to depict a world where everyone acts as a performer in a global drama rather than being part of a harmonious community.
It was, in fact, a sign of progress.
Suddenly, geopolitical shifts led countries to pull away from each other, with increased focus on national security and restrictions.
And Trump leads this group of repulsive and destructive community members.