WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th October, 2020) Possible changes to the visa issuance rules for foreign journalists pose a threat to media freedom in the United States, the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the USA (AFC-USA) said in a statement on Monday.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement in September that it has proposed to limit the duration of visas issued to foreign journalists to 240 days with an opportunity to obtain a maximum extension of 240 days.
"The AFC-USA acknowledges and fully respects the right of the US government to protect its national security, adjust its immigration laws with priority to the interest of American citizens, and combat abuse of immigration laws in any visa category," the statement said. "However, as far as professional, working, and credentialed foreign correspondents are concerned, changes to I Media Visa approval processes pose threats to their livelihoods and the future of press freedom within the US."
