<
https://rsf.org/en/usa-proposed-journalist-visa-restrictions-would-have-catastrophic-consequences-press-freedom>
"
The Trump administration is proposing new, severe restrictions on how long
foreign journalists would be permitted to live and work in the United States.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) opposes the proposed visa change as it serves
no purpose other than to erect unnecessary barriers for foreign reporters and
will produce a chilling effect on press freedom. RSF calls on the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) to abandon the proposal.
On August 28, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a proposal to
introduce a fixed term for the visas used by foreign journalists to work and
live in the United States. Currently, these visas last indefinitely as long as
the visa holder remains in compliance with certain terms. Under the new
proposed system, these visas would be restricted to 90 days for Chinese
nationals and 240 days for citizens of other countries. A DHS press release
alleged, without evidence, that the current visa system for journalists pose
“safety risks.”
These changes would create an undue burden for journalists, requiring them to
repeatedly clear bureaucratic hurdles every seven months and creating a great
deal of uncertainty every time a renewal deadline approaches. Even more
dangerously, it sets up a system with high potential for abuse, as the Trump
administration systematically punishes journalists and news outlets that
criticise its policies, and has repeatedly tried to deport non-US citizens for
their political expression.
In one such ongoing high-profile case, DHS has tried to remove Turkish-born PhD
student Rümeysa Öztürk from the country in retaliation for her co-authorship of
an article critical of Israel's war in Gaza. The new visa restrictions will
leave journalists wondering if their visas will be cancelled because a single
public official disapproved of the content of their journalism. It could lead
to self-censorship and even the deportation of journalists whose only misstep
was to report the news honestly.
The proposed rule change mirrors a similar measure that was proposed during
Trump’s first term as president and was ultimately abandoned by President
Biden. The public will have until September 29, 2025 to comment on the measure
while DHS weighs whether to implement the change."
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
