Perhaps the first Trump touch of a no-nonsense diplomacy is already being enacted in Africa. Four countries were penned for fresh visa restrictions by the United States according to a State Department notice in August. Three from Africa – Guinea, Eritrea and Sierra Leone – the fourth was Cambodia.
This was because the US did not seem to be receiving the level of co-operatiopn required to effect the removal of the nationalities to their countries. While the current immigration status of these individuals are cloudy regarding whether they are merely resident or not in the US or even having adopted US nationality is unknown, the issue of the legal implications to their enforcements need be clarified.
This and perhaps other considerations may have occasioned the situation warranting the the US to issue these notices. However, in the face of the implications of executing these sanctions, Sierra Leone has moved to escape it after making a U-turn to accept its nationals due to be deported from the U.S.
According to Umaru Fofana, a Reuters journalist in the country, the government had agreed to accept 27 of its citizens marked for deportation from an earlier different postion a few weeks back. He quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Emmanuel Turay, as confirming that the 27 deportees were going to be issued necessary documentation by the embassy in Washington to facilitate their return within a 30-day period.
Incidentally, the U.S. on September 13 officially notified Free Town of the visa restrictions that was to affect government officials. U.S. authorities have yet to respond to the latest position by the Sierra Leonean government.
Communication imposing the visa regime were issued in respect of all four countries who are classified by Washington as being ‘recalcitrant nations.’ The term ‘recalcitrant nations,’ refers to countries that had refused to accept nationals who are due for deportation from the U.S.
The United States has officially issued new visa restrictions on two African countries – Eritrea and Guinea. The respective embassies in Asmara and Conakry confirmed the order. They added that the directive took effect on Wednesday September 13.
The move is believed to be as part of a threat issued by the U.S State Department last month in respect of ‘recalcitrant nations,’ a term that describes countries that had refused to take back nationals scheduled for deportation from the U.S.
Eritrea, Guinea and Sierra Leone – were the African countries penned for the visa sanctions. It is not known why Sierra Leone has been left out of the current directive. The only non-African country on the list was Cambodia.
The United States Embassy terminates the issuance of visas B, F, J, and M to Guinean officials and their close relatives, with limited exceptions.
In the case of Eritrea, the statement posted on the Embassy’s facebook wall read in parts: “As of September 13, the U.S. Embassy in Asmara, Eritrea has discontinued issuing B1, B2 , and B1/B2 visas to citizens, subjects, nationals, and residents of Eritrea, with limited exceptions, in accordance with Section 243(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.”
The sanctions in respect of Guinea are more expansive affecting even government officials. “The United States Embassy terminates the issuance of visas B, F, J, and M to Guinean officials and their close relatives, with limited exceptions,” the Embassy said.
Both statements had a caution to applicants: “If you are subject to this visa restriction and you choose to apply, we will interview you but will not be able to issue a visa until the restrictions are lifted. Please consider this carefully before you apply. Application fees will not be refunded.”
There is a point of concern for the affected countries given that the 72nd United Nations General Assembly takes off in a few days in New York. Under the sanction regime, U.S. Homeland Security reserves the right to refuse entry to officials even after arrival in the country.
The U.S. has long threatened a number of African countries with mass deportation of their nationals. 7000 Ghanaians were threatened with deportation in April this year before 70 of them were sent back in June – all of them in handcuffs.
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