In a dramatic shift from his predecessor, monthly immigrant visa issuances and refugee admissions from 45 majority-Muslim countries fell 96 percent between December 2024 and February 2026, according to a Cato Institute analysis highlighted Tuesday by the White House.
The White House’s Rapid Response account shared a chart showing the combined monthly total dropped from 21,096 to 808. The analysis, based on State Department records, tracks a sharp reduction in legal immigration following President Donald Trump’s return to office.
Legal Immigration from Majority-Muslim Nations Was Cut 96% Since 2024 pic.twitter.com/8QUs1E71dQ
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 29, 2026
Immigrant visa issuances from those countries declined about 95 percent, while monthly refugee admissions fell from 5,157 to zero. Cato attributed the reduction to expanded travel restrictions and the suspension of refugee resettlement from those nations after January 2025.
Afghanistan accounted for the largest share of the decline, with its combined monthly total falling from 5,563 to nine, a reduction of 99.8 percent. Pakistan recorded a 97.9 percent decline, while Somalia’s total dropped 99.7 percent.
Only Qatar, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates recorded increases. Turkey had the smallest decline among the remaining countries, at 8 percent.
The reduction was substantially steeper than the 36 percent decline recorded for other nations. Cato said that if February’s pace continued, immigrant visa issuances and refugee admissions from majority-Muslim countries would finish fiscal year 2026 at their lowest combined annual level in at least three decades.
