Pakistanis Face Uncertainty Amid Visa Crackdown In The US

WASHINGTON: Pakistani students and other visa holders in the US are facing challenges while staying in the US due to the visa crackdown.

Visa restrictions frightened US based Pakistanis:

The Pakistani community got frightened as they have been informed that from now onwards the cases relevant to the traffic violations or any campus protests will immediately be reported to the US Department of Homeland Security. 

In Northern Virginia, two Pakistani students were shocked when the traffic court police informed them about the latest rules and regulations. A student from Baltimore, Maryland said, “We were planning to drive to Chicago, but we’ve been advised not to. We are on visas and even a minor mistake could lead to revocation.”

The new rules also arose anger among Pro-Palestinian protest groups. One of the members said, “Some of us joined those demonstrations and now we don’t know if we can stay or might face deportation.”

A student said, “Most of us work part-time to pay tuition. Now we don’t know whether we can continue working.” Another student said, “Almost all foreign students are scared. We don’t know whether we can work, drive, or even go out. This is not the America that we dreamed of.” 

The Pakistani embassy in the US did not give exact numbers of Pakistanis living in the US. However, an estimated 700,000 to a million Pakistani live in the US. Most of them are long-term residents, citizens while some haven’t officially registered themselves there.

US Authority strictness:

The US Authority is also reviewing the social media activities. The step is taken to see if there is any activity that is against the US citizen’s safety, culture, government, or institutions. 

A spokesperson from US Citizenship and Immigration services stated, “America’s benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies.” Moreover, Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, paused the recruitment of truck drivers due to the security concerns and American livelihood. 

Malawi and Zambia visa holders now have to deposit $15000 for tourist and business visas while 12 countries have travel bans with seven more countries who are allowed to travel but with certain restrictions. 

Pakistani embassy activeness:

Pakistani citizens in the US are worried about their future in the US due to these visa restrictions. Pakistani embassy is playing an active role in the US and attentively forward the concerns of the people to the US State Department. 

The embassy thus is making efforts to provide security to the Pakistani citizens. It also stressed on the importance of legal documentation, rights awareness, and caution in any political unrest.