Is Speaker Koon to Blame for U.S. Visa Sanctions on Liberia?

Claim: "The U.S. visa sanction on Liberia is a direct result of fraudulent immigration activities by Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon, and Speaker Koon materially contributed to the sanction."

Verdict: Misleading

Full Text: On January 15, 2026, Gray posted on Facebook claiming that the United States government slapped visa sanctions on Liberia specifically because of fraudulent immigration activities committed by Richard Nagbe Koon, Speaker of the House of Representatives in Liberia's 55th Legislature.

The post drew significant attention, generating 484 reactions, 285 comments, and 61 shares by the time of publication.

Verification: To get to the truth, The Stage Media Liberia checked the U.S. State Department, Liberia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and various international media outlets.

According to the U.S. Department of State, immigrant visa processing for nationalities at high risk of public benefits usage will be paused effective January 21, 2026. The U.S. government is conducting a full review of all immigration policies, regulations, and guidance.

The policy targets countries where immigrants might not be financially self-sufficient. And it's not just Liberia getting hit with this pause. We are talking about 75 countries total: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.

The State Department's X account explained that these 75 countries have migrants who use welfare at what they consider unacceptable rates. Processing will stay frozen until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants won't extract wealth from American taxpayers.

Reuters reported that this directive tells consular officials to pause applications in line with a broader order from November, which tightened rules around potential immigrants who might become "public charges" in the U.S.

It is important to note that the suspension only affects immigrant visas (based on family ties, employment, and the diversity visa program). Non-immigrant visas for tourists and business travelers are not affected.

Liberia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the indefinite pause, clarifying that interviews for immigrant visas can continue, but the actual issuance of those visas is on hold pending new guidelines from the U.S. government.

Conclusion: Based on official U.S. Department of State policy updates and Reuters reporting, the claim that the U.S. visa action against Liberia was caused by fraudulent immigration activities by Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon is misleading.

This visa pause is a broad, policy-based measure affecting 75 countries grouped together because of public charge risk and financial self-sufficiency concerns. It has nothing to do with alleged misconduct by any specific Liberian individual, including Speaker Koon.