Appeal of the media to Trump for unlimited visas for journalists from abroad

Over 100 international media and press organizations issued an open letter to the President of the United States Donald Trump, calling for withdrawal from plans to limit visas for foreign journalists in the US – the AFP agency said on Thursday.

Among the signatories of the letter were, apart from AFP, also the English BBC, German ZDF, press agencies Associated Press and Reuters, as well as organizations dealing with freedom of speech and press, as well as journalists' rights, including Reporters without borders (RSF) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

At the end of August, the American administration proposed to shorten the time of stay in the US for foreign students and journalists. This decision is part of the efforts of the authorities to fight illegal immigration to the United States. Until now, journalists received visas for a period of up to five years. If the proposal of the Ministry of National Security (DHS) came into force, this would mean shortening the period of visa validity for journalists to just 240 days.

As noted in a letter to President Trump, such a limitation of visas “would disturb this proven system, create an unstable (situation) for correspondents and their families and would reduce the number and quality of relationships from the United States.” It has been added that long -term stays in US journalists help in gaining “knowledge, contacts and experience necessary to tell America to recipients around the world.”

The authors of the letter alerted that limiting the publishing of visas threatens that “the world will be less informed about American news and current events.” As they predict, this situation may result in the appearance of an information gap, which may also be treacherous to the USA. In their opinion, other countries will try to fill this gap with news about the US, which will fit into their narratives, but will not be true.

“It would hurt America's global position and not strengthen it,” the authors of the letter emphasized. (PAP)

EK/ Szm/