E-Paper
Trump threatens visa sanctions on countries who refuse to accept repatriation of nationals
The memorandum indicates the move is aimed at “the repatriation of foreign nationals who violate the laws of the United States”.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose visa sanctions on countries that refuse to accept their citizens sought to be repatriated by American authorities during the Covid-19 crisis.
A memorandum issued by Trump to the secretary of state and secretary of homeland security on Friday states: “Countries that deny or unreasonably delay the acceptance of their citizens, subjects, nationals, or residents from the United States during the ongoing pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 create unacceptable public health risks for Americans.”
The memorandum indicates the move is aimed at “the repatriation of foreign nationals who violate the laws of the United States”.
Trump directed the secretary of homeland security to notify the secretary of state if any country “denies or unreasonably delays the acceptance of aliens who are citizens, subjects, nationals, or residents of that country after being asked to accept those aliens, and if such denial or delay is impeding operations” of the homeland security department in response to the pandemic.
The secretary of state will then adopt a plan to impose visa sanctions under the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act within seven days. The secretary of state is allowed to exceptions consistent with US foreign policy interests, the memorandum states.
The visa sanctions will no longer be applicable if the secretary of homeland security declares that the foreign country has “resumed accepting aliens without unreasonable delay”.
The memorandum will be valid till December 31, unless it is extended.
The memorandum emphasised the need for cooperation between the State Department and the department of homeland security in view of the “profound and unique public health risks posed by the novel (new) coronavirus”.
The move comes at a time when the Indian government has asked the US to extend the validity of visas, including H-1B and other types of visas, held by Indian nationals who have been hit by the Covid-19-related economic slump.
