30 votes

US to stop processing visa applications from seventy-five nations

19 comments

  1. [2]
    smores
    Link
    “Some countries” is an… interesting way to describe more than 1/3 of all recognized nations in the world.

    “Some countries” is an… interesting way to describe more than 1/3 of all recognized nations in the world.

    19 votes
    1. paris
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      Well said. If I could change the títle, I would! edit: thank you, @hungariantoast!

      Well said. If I could change the títle, I would! edit: thank you, @hungariantoast!

  2. smores
    Link
    Full list of countries affected (from PBS):

    Full list of countries affected (from PBS):

    Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

    13 votes
  3. paris
    Link
    I don’t know why I’m surprised. Do we have a ready tag for the continuing political isolation of the US?

    I don’t know why I’m surprised. Do we have a ready tag for the continuing political isolation of the US?

    The pause, which will impact applicants from countries including Somalia, Iran, Russia, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Yemen, Thailand and Brazil, will begin on January 21, the spokesperson said. It does not affect visitor visas.

    8 votes
  4. [15]
    nacho
    Link
    For many of the countries I can sort of understand that there's some form of argument that I disagree with that could potentially be made for not allowing visas from the countries. But for many...

    For many of the countries I can sort of understand that there's some form of argument that I disagree with that could potentially be made for not allowing visas from the countries.

    But for many others, just don't get it. I can't seem to find any country-by-country argumentation either

    Then again, with this administration, it probably just doesn't make sense and is nonsensical to try to make sense of.

    7 votes
    1. [6]
      Drewbahr
      Link Parent
      It makes "perfect sense" if you view it through the lens of people trying to make the United States a purely white ethnostate, as @smores mentioned below. It's racism, plain and simple.

      It makes "perfect sense" if you view it through the lens of people trying to make the United States a purely white ethnostate, as @smores mentioned below.

      It's racism, plain and simple.

      24 votes
      1. [2]
        mild_takes
        Link Parent
        Yes but there are also a bunch of non-white countries missing. For example Pakistan, Bangladesh and Burma are listed but not India. Armenia is blocked and they're pretty white and christian....

        Yes but there are also a bunch of non-white countries missing. For example Pakistan, Bangladesh and Burma are listed but not India.

        Armenia is blocked and they're pretty white and christian.

        Equador, Argentinia, and others are missing from south america.

        Thailand, Laos, Burma, and Cambodia are banned but not Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.

        I think theres maybe some randomness involved to dispell the idea that it's just racism.

        8 votes
        1. Drewbahr
          Link Parent
          It doesn't have to be all inclusive to still be racist.

          It doesn't have to be all inclusive to still be racist.

          5 votes
      2. [3]
        Chiasmic
        Link Parent
        Russia, Bosnia, Albania and Belarus are white European, and as mild_takes mentioned, multiple nations that are not white are not banned. While I don’t think this is a good step, I don’t think we...

        Russia, Bosnia, Albania and Belarus are white European, and as mild_takes mentioned, multiple nations that are not white are not banned.
        While I don’t think this is a good step, I don’t think we can reasonably call it racism either.

        5 votes
        1. Drewbahr
          Link Parent
          It doesn't have to be all inclusive to still be racist.

          It doesn't have to be all inclusive to still be racist.

          3 votes
        2. CptBluebear
          Link Parent
          Bosnia and Albania are Muslim countries, and Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, are too Russia aligned.

          Bosnia and Albania are Muslim countries, and Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, are too Russia aligned.

          2 votes
    2. KapteinB
      Link Parent
      Maybe it's based on some statistics of how large a percentage of immigrants from each country seek public benefits. Though more likely Barron asked ChatGPT to write a list of countries they should...

      The cable, sent to U.S. missions, said there were indications that nationals from these countries had sought public benefits in the United States.

      "Applicants from these countries are at a high risk for becoming a public charge and recourse to local, state and federal government resources in the United States," the cable outlining the move which was reviewed by Reuters said.

      Maybe it's based on some statistics of how large a percentage of immigrants from each country seek public benefits. Though more likely Barron asked ChatGPT to write a list of countries they should ban immigration from, like he did with the tariffs last year.

      9 votes
    3. [7]
      snake_case
      Link Parent
      I guess like if you remove legal ways to be in the US you get to “round up more illegals” ?

      I guess like if you remove legal ways to be in the US you get to “round up more illegals” ?

      4 votes
      1. [6]
        smores
        Link Parent
        Sure, but also just part of the overarching plan to pursue a white ethnostate in the US, no? Like there is one thing that (almost?) all of these countries have in common, and it's that a US racist...

        Sure, but also just part of the overarching plan to pursue a white ethnostate in the US, no? Like there is one thing that (almost?) all of these countries have in common, and it's that a US racist would not consider them “white”.

        10 votes
        1. [4]
          stu2b50
          (edited )
          Link Parent
          Idk, it doesn’t include China, India, or Mexico, which are some of the largest non-white immigrant countries (well, “whiteness” and Latinos is somewhat complicated, but your average KKK member...

          Idk, it doesn’t include China, India, or Mexico, which are some of the largest non-white immigrant countries (well, “whiteness” and Latinos is somewhat complicated, but your average KKK member probably wouldn’t consider anyone from Mexico as white).

          In contrast, Russia and many Soviet satellites are on the list, and many Americans would consider them white. After all, Trump himself married someone from a Soviet satellite state.

          The list isn’t all that cohesive from a racial angle. Why is Thailand banned but Vietnam not? Why is Pakistan banned but not India? Why is Kuwait banned but none of the other Arab states?

          8 votes
          1. [3]
            smores
            Link Parent
            Sure, right now it does not. And potentially that's for economic reasons (China, India, and Mexico are also some of our largest trading partners, for whatever that's worth), and potentially...

            Sure, right now it does not. And potentially that's for economic reasons (China, India, and Mexico are also some of our largest trading partners, for whatever that's worth), and potentially they're just taking incremental steps, which aligns with pretty much every other action taken by this administration since its first day. It's an administration of compulsive, malicious liars, so it's not like we can take their word for it. I feel pretty comfortable with the assumption that this is part of a well documented fascist/white nationalist plan enacted by a group of well documented white nationalists, though, since it doesn't make much sense through any other lens.

            9 votes
            1. stu2b50
              Link Parent
              Occam's razor is that Trump has traditionally done well politically with immigration restrictions. He's looking for a bump in approvals after multiple political hits has left things looking pretty...

              since it doesn't make much sense through any other lens.

              Occam's razor is that Trump has traditionally done well politically with immigration restrictions. He's looking for a bump in approvals after multiple political hits has left things looking pretty dire before the midterms.

              In particular, this is a continuation of the Somalia Minnesota scandal. That was a big win for Republicans politically, and this is "list of poor countries we can block immigration from without causing serious economic or political repercussions". Countries like China or India are not on the list because they would cause serious economic or political repercussions, which would kind of negate the point of a quick symbolic PR win.

              Now Trump can go "underBiden, we got those Somalians scamming your hard earned tax dollars, I've blocked the poors from robbing you bigly". That's pretty much the point.

              If you're a white nationalist trying to make America a white ethnostate this would do almost nothing to accomplish it.

              9 votes
            2. Wafik
              Link Parent
              Right, you block the non white countries that "no one cares about" and the poor white countries. You don't want those "white poors from Russia" coming and taking American "generosity". People with...

              Right, you block the non white countries that "no one cares about" and the poor white countries. You don't want those "white poors from Russia" coming and taking American "generosity". People with money can just buy a Trump gold card if they really want in.

              Then you slowly add other countries and by the point you add China and they respond by doing the same or more tariffs or whatever, it won't matter because you have complete control of fascist America by then and who cares if the non-whites and Poor's can't feed themselves if they can't do anything about it. They just starve off or are too hungry to fight back. It's a feature, not a bug.

              8 votes
        2. snake_case
          Link Parent
          Yeah, pretty much, exactly. Just one less way for someone who’s been kidnapped to free themselves

          Yeah, pretty much, exactly. Just one less way for someone who’s been kidnapped to free themselves