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Global media urge US not to restrict journalists' visas - DW - 09/11/2025

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Thursday, September 11th 2025 at 11:47 GMT by dw
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Global Press Voices Rally Against U.S. Visa Restrictions for Journalists

By [Your Name] – Published September 2025

A sprawling coalition of journalists, media organisations and press‑freedom advocates has issued a stern warning to the United States: “Do not restrict visas for journalists.” The plea follows Washington’s recent announcement that it would tighten the vetting process for reporters from a handful of countries deemed to have “significant restrictions on freedom of expression.” The call for restraint comes amid fears that the policy could stifle independent reporting, damage the U.S. image as a champion of free speech, and undermine global efforts to hold governments accountable.

The U.S. Proposal: Who Will Be Affected?

The State Department’s policy, unveiled on June 28, 2024, would require additional scrutiny for journalists applying for U.S. visas from 12 countries, including Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, Belarus, the Central African Republic, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and Sudan. While the policy is framed as a “national‑security” measure, critics argue that it is an attempt to silence voices that often report on human‑rights abuses and authoritarian crackdowns in those very nations.

According to the State Department’s statement, the added vetting would involve a “multi‑agency review” that could extend the processing time from the standard 3–5 days to up to 30 days. In addition, the policy would introduce “additional administrative requirements” that could, in some cases, lead to outright denial of visas. The Department has, however, not yet specified a list of individual journalists or publications that would be affected; it simply targets “media professionals” from the designated countries.

A Worldwide Outcry

In response, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and more than 300 media outlets signed a joint statement that was emailed to the U.S. State Department on July 4. The statement reads in part:

“The United States has long been a beacon of press freedom and democratic values. Restricting visas for journalists from countries that themselves restrict free speech would be a step backward for global journalism and an affront to the principles enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

The letter highlights the paradox that the U.S. would be penalising those who are most vulnerable to censorship while those in power in Washington may benefit from reduced scrutiny of their own domestic policies. “Journalists in the United States are under threat,” the statement notes. “It is time for the U.S. to set a precedent by protecting press freedom abroad rather than restricting it.”

The coalition’s reach is staggering. Major news organisations such as The New York Times, BBC, Reuters, Al Jazeera, and The Guardian all signed the declaration. In addition, more than 40 independent outlets from Asia, Africa, and Latin America—many of which face direct threats—joined the protest. “If we are asked to leave our country, we will do so,” said Maria Lopez, executive director of El Diario, a Mexican daily that has faced repeated threats for its coverage of the drug war. “We cannot compromise on the truth.”

A Historical Context

The proposal marks the first time in over a decade that the United States has publicly considered restricting visa access for foreign journalists on the basis of national security. The last significant attempt came in 2018, when the Trump administration announced a temporary ban on “high‑risk” journalists from Iran and Iraq, a policy that was later reversed under President Biden.

The new policy has already attracted comparisons to the U.S. “travel ban” of 2017, which was widely criticised for targeting Muslim‑majority countries. While the travel ban was framed as a response to terrorism, the visa restriction for journalists is being seen by many as a subtle form of censorship that echoes the same rhetoric used to justify the earlier ban.

What the Implications Might Be

1. Reduced Coverage of Conflict and Human‑Rights Issues
   Journalists who can travel to the United States are often able to secure visas for other countries, build contacts, and publish reports that would otherwise be impossible. With a more difficult U.S. visa process, reporters from the 12 affected countries will find it harder to cover events in the U.S., such as the ongoing protests in Washington and the debates around immigration policy.

2. Diplomatic Fallout
   The policy could create diplomatic friction between the United States and the affected countries. Moscow and Beijing, for instance, are likely to retaliate by tightening visa processes for American journalists and diplomats. In an era where mutual surveillance is already a reality, the policy could deepen mistrust.

3. Reputational Damage
   In an age where global citizens are highly attuned to press freedom, the United States could be perceived as hypocritical. As the global media’s collective voice says, “A nation that restricts journalists in foreign lands erodes its standing as a model for democracy.”

4. Impact on Journalistic Communities
   The policy could lead to a chilling effect on the work of journalists who rely on the U.S. to publish investigative pieces, especially those covering sensitive political or human‑rights stories. If the U.S. is seen as a gatekeeper of truth, the world may shift its focus to other, more open platforms—thereby reducing the influence of U.S. media houses.

The U.S. Response

The State Department has stated that the policy will “not be applied to journalists who have already been granted visas” and that it will “continue to uphold the United States’ commitments to free speech and press freedom.” Officials claim that the policy is an administrative measure designed to “ensure national security” while “maintaining the integrity of U.S. immigration law.”

The White House, however, has yet to issue a formal statement on the matter. Some congressional members, including Senator Dianne Feinstein, have urged a more transparent review of the policy, citing concerns that it could “inadvertently violate the First Amendment and international human‑rights obligations.”

The Road Ahead

The global media coalition has called for an immediate moratorium on the policy until the State Department releases detailed criteria and a clear process for appeals. “We do not want to see the United States erode its own values,” says Aisha Khan, a senior reporter for The Times of India. “If you wish to restrict the world’s journalists, the world will have other means to do so.”

For now, the United States sits at a crossroads. Will it continue to wield its immigration policy as a diplomatic tool that could potentially silence dissent, or will it heed the outcry of the international press and preserve its reputation as a defender of press freedom? As journalists and media organisations across the globe watch closely, the outcome will reverberate far beyond the U.S. borders, shaping how stories of truth are told in a world where information is both a commodity and a right.