THE United States Department of State has cancelled the visas of several officials and imposed visa restrictions on others and their immediate family members, citing corruption, narcotrafficking and actions that undermine democratically elected governments.
The measures, announced Monday, were taken under a new visa restriction policy pursuant to Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
According to the Department, the policy restricts visas for foreign nationals “who undermine a democratically-elected government through corruption or narcotrafficking activities” in the Americas.
“Under the Trump Administration, corrupt foreign officials can no longer freely enter the United States. Today the Department of State is taking actions to fulfill the commitments to defend democratic governance across our hemisphere against corruption and narco-trafficking made at the Doral Summit and reaffirmed in the Shield of the Americas leaders’ statement of September 22,” the State Department said.
The latest actions target nationals from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, all participants in the Shield of the Americas initiative.
“This is a durable mechanism that allows the United States to act quickly, in coordination with our partners, as evidence develops. The Department of State is taking steps immediately to impose visa restrictions under this policy in support of fellow Shield of the Americas participants Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru,” the department added.
The State Department said the actions were consistent with commitments made at the Doral Summit and reaffirmed in the Shield of the Americas leaders’ statement of September 22, which called for coordination of sanctions, designations and financial actions against terrorists and criminals who undermine security, rule of law and democracy.
The visa restrictions were imposed under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the INA, which bars entry to individuals whose entry or proposed activities could have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.
