US to deny visas to applicants saying they fear persecution back home

The Trump administration has introduced further restrictions on potential asylum seekers by requiring US visa applicants to confirm they do not fear persecution in their home countries.

The administration’s goal is to prevent individuals from using non-immigrant visas as a means to claim asylum once they reach US soil.

According to a diplomatic notice sent to all embassies and consulates this week, applicants for non-immigrant visas, including tourists, students, and temporary workers, must now affirm their safety at home to be eligible for entry.

Read also:Nigeria sees 21% surge in asylum seekers as refugee population declines

This move is part of a broader shift in policies designed to tighten US immigration controls.

New screening procedures

Consular officers have been instructed to ask two specific questions during the application process:

“Have you experienced harm or mistreatment in your country of nationality or last habitual residence?”

“Do you fear harm or mistreatment in returning to your country of nationality or permanent residence?”

“Visa applicants must respond verbally with a ‘no’ to both questions for the consular officer to continue with visa issuance.”

The statement notes, “Consular officers must prevent abuse of the immigration system by visa applicants who misrepresent their purpose of travel, including those who attempt to obtain nonimmigrant visas for the purpose of claiming asylum upon arrival in the United States.”

A State Department spokesperson defended the measure, stating: “Consular officers are the first line of defence for US national security.

The department uses all available tools and resources to determine whether each visa applicant qualifies under US law”.

Read also:Canada passes new law introducing stricter reforms to asylum eligibility 

To qualify for asylum under current law, an individual must be physically present in the US and be fleeing persecution based on race, religion, or political affiliation.

However, immigration experts warn that these new requirements may force vulnerable individuals into dangerous situations.

Camille Mackler, an immigration policy consultant, told CNN that the directive “is going to put people in really bad, terrible positions of having to make choices that ultimately affect their and their family’s safety.”

She added: “I also think this pushes people to unsafer pathways and unsafer routes, because if you need to leave, you leave, and you do whatever you need to do to do that.”

The rule follows other recent measures, including increased vetting for student visas and a temporary suspension of immigrant visa processing for 75 countries earlier this year.