The Trump administration is implementing new restrictions on immigration processing, including plans to drastically reduce visa services in Africa and streamline asylum claim rejections in the United States.

The State Department will reduce the number of U.S. embassies and consulates in Africa that can process visas from approximately 50 locations to 20 designated hubs in the coming weeks, according to U.S. officials and an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. The change is expected to take effect in June, though no specific date has been set.

Under the directive approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, visa processing will be consolidated into 20 locations across the continent, including major cities such as Lagos, Nigeria; Nairobi, Kenya; Johannesburg, South Africa; and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Citizens from non-hub countries will need to travel to one of these designated sites to apply for visas, potentially creating significant travel challenges and costs for applicants.

Consular sections in non-hub countries will remain open but with limited services, continuing to assist American citizens with passport renewals, emergency consular requests, special national interest cases, and diplomatic visa applications. The reduction is part of the administration's broader effort to limit both immigrant and non-immigrant visas and address concerns about visa overstays.

Separately, the Department of Homeland Security is developing a plan to reject certain asylum claims without conducting interviews, according to documents obtained by CBS News. This represents another component of the administration's approach to immigration enforcement and processing.

Visa processing in Africa has already been affected by various restrictions, including travel bans on certain countries, requirements for applicants to post bonds of up to $15,000, and limitations related to health concerns. The administration has also scaled back personnel at diplomatic posts worldwide as part of its immigration enforcement strategy.