Trump's New Discriminatory Deposit for Visa Applicants!

The Trump administration has announced a new program that requires people from certain countries to pay a deposit when applying for a tourist or business visa to enter the United States.

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STARTING WITH TWO AFRICAN COUNTRIES

For now, citizens of two African countries, Zambia and Malawi, will have to pay a deposit of $5,000 to $15,000 when applying for a non-immigrant tourist or business visa at U.S. consulates. According to the State Department, the program may be extended to other countries that will have to comply with this requirement. For now, it is a pilot program that may continue with many other countries.

According to the State Department, payment will be made online on the Treasury's website. It should be understood that, according to the State Department, the deposit is not a guarantee that the visa will be issued, but it is a requirement for people from these two countries applying for a visa at this time.

Supposedly, this bond has to do with the rate of violation of the permitted stay of applicants, and these two countries have the highest percentages of people who remain in the United States after entering on a non-immigrant visa, although in reality the percentages are not that high: 11% from Zambia and 14% from Malawi, but higher than citizens of other countries.

We do not yet know which other countries will be required to pay this deposit, but I have no doubt that it will also be extended to some Latin American countries.

This type of bond for certain types of visas has been proposed in the past, but this is the first time it is actually being implemented. The State Department had put it on hold because the process for posting the bond and then releasing or returning it can be very complex, but it stated that it is not supported by evidence since deposits have not been required for visa applications in recent times.

In the coming weeks, we will see how this program plays out, and we hope that it does not serve as a model for other countries, making travel more expensive and unattainable for many.

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URGENT ACTION NEEDED TO FREE CATALINA XOCHITL SANTIAGO

Catalina Xochitl Santiago is a young woman who benefits from the DACA program. She was detained by ICE on Sunday, August 3, at the El Paso, Texas, airport after being questioned by two border agents as she was about to board a domestic flight. Despite having a valid DACA work permit, the agents detained her without a warrant or just cause. She is now being held at a processing center in El Paso. Catalina Xochitl Santiago has worked for many years for the dignity and respect of the immigrant community, and now it is our turn to support her.

Click here to go to a very easy-to-complete petition to join us in demanding Xochitl's release. Only together can we face these difficult times.

Yes, we can!