The Trump administration has issued a directive that could transform an honest answer at a US visa interview into grounds for permanent exclusion from the United States.
A State Department cable marks the latest effort by the administration to severely limit asylum applications, with prospective visa holders asked if they fear returning to their home country. A 'yes' could see their temporary visa denied. The directive applies to non-immigrant visas, the category covering tourists, students, H-1B tech workers, seasonal workers, and business executives, meaning its reach is immediate and vast. For millions of people worldwide who hold a well-founded fear of persecution but have not yet reached American soil, the new policy closes off one of the last remaining legal doorways into the country.
