&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Trump administration issues directive to deny visas to applicants who fear returning to home country")
The United States government on Tuesday rolled out broad new visa screening rules that would effectively prevent persecuted individuals from securing US travel documents. The US State Department has issued fresh guidance stating that all those applicants seeking a temporary visa to America must inform a consular officer that they have not suffered harm and do not fear returning to their home country. Answering yes or refusing to respond could significantly increase the likelihood of rejection.
According to a report by The Guardian, a State Department cable directs officials at US embassies and consulates worldwide to revise procedures, asking applicants to confirm they do not fear mistreatment at home before their interview can proceed.
The directive, issued under the authority of Marco Rubio, mandates that consular officers ask two specific questions to all non-immigrant visa applicants. "Have you experienced harm or mistreatment in your country of nationality or last habitual residence?" and “Do you fear harm or mistreatment in returning to your country of nationality or permanent residence?” directives said.
What should applicants respond to?
The directive indicated that applicants must respond verbally with a "no" to both questions to the consular officer to get a visa approved. Those who answer "yes" or refuse to respond will face near-certain denial of their travel documents.
It noted that if an applicant expresses fear about returning to their country of nationality or residence, it raises doubts about the purpose of their travel and suggests possible immigrant intent at the time of the visa application.
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The directive came just days after a federal appeals court ruled that the Donald Trump administration’s claim of an “invasion” at the US-Mexico border to curb asylum seekers was unlawful, effectively reopening the United States to migrants escaping persecution.
Meanwhile, the directive claims that the new method is formulated to curb people from misrepresenting themselves during the visa process. “The high number of aliens claiming asylum in the United States indicates that many aliens misrepresent this intention to consular officers in the visa application process and at US ports of entry,” the directive reads, “and that information collected from visa applicants under current guidance is inadequate to identify those applicants who fear harm or mistreatment in returning to their home country.”
