US Legal Immigration Halves in February 2026 Amid Expanded Visa Restrictions
Legal immigration to the United States dropped by half in February 2026, with immigrant visa issuances falling from an average of 52,000 to about 26,000. The decline followed new restrictions introduced by the Trump administration affecting applicants from 91 countries and reducing visa availability for another 61. The measures included expanded travel bans and suspensions, impacting regions such as Central Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe. Canada and Mexico saw increases in visa issuances. These changes have slowed legal immigration across various categories, including permanent residents, students, and workers.
First-hand measurement across 2 sources
We measured how 2 outlets covered this story. No outlet gave this story a measurable political slant — there is no left–right reading to report. Overall sentiment is negative (32/100). Lens Score 54/100.
Outlets measured: economictimes, hindustantimes. See how each one headlined and framed the same story in the source comparison below.
AI Analysis
Sentiment was consistent across outlets (28–35/100), indicating broadly factual reporting rather than editorialising.
Coverage timeline
hindustantimes broke this story on 19 Oct, 01:20 am. Other outlets followed.