AFPC-USA Calls for Reversal of DHS Visa Restrictions Targeting Foreign Press

The Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the United States (AFPC-USA) has issued a statement following the Trump administration’s restriction of I-visas, a move with significant ramifications for the foreign journalist community.

The Trump administration has unveiled a policy that would significantly reduce how long foreign journalists can remain in the United States. Under the proposal, most foreign correspondents would be limited to stays of 240 days instead of the current five-year period, while journalists from China would face an even stricter 90-day limit.

The Department of Homeland Security also plans to eliminate the longstanding "duration of status" framework, which currently allows accredited foreign reporters to remain in the country for as long as they continue to satisfy visa requirements. Once the new regulations take effect—60 days after publication in the Federal Register—journalists would instead be subject to fixed expiration dates, with Chinese media personnel facing the most restrictive rules.

A similar proposal introduced during Trump's first term in 2020 would have capped journalist visas at 90 days, but it was later abandoned by the Biden administration.

The complete statement is below:

AFPC-USA is deeply alarmed by the Trump administration's new rules that will drastically shorten the duration of visas for foreign journalists.

This alarming assault on press freedom appears designed to reduce scrutiny of the US government by undermining the ability of a free press to hold those in power to account.

Under the new rules, foreign journalists on I-visas will be allowed to report from the United States for only 240 days. Any extension beyond that period will be granted solely at the discretion of the US government, creating a real risk that journalists could face retaliation for coverage an administration finds unfavorable.

The cost of repeatedly relocating foreign correspondents for such short assignments will be prohibitive for many news organizations, limiting international reporting from the US and diminishing the world's access to diverse coverage of America.

AFPC-USA calls on the Department of Homeland Security to reverse this deeply flagrant attack on press freedom.