U.S. Cancels Visa for Mayor of Border City Juan Francisco Gim from Mexico
In an unexpected move, the visas of two prominent Mexican politicians, Juan Francisco Gim, the mayor of Nogales, and Marina del Pilar Ávila, the governor of Baja California, were revoked by US authorities as part of an administrative process. The revocations, which took place in August 2020 for Gim and May 2020 for Ávila, were made without any public explanation or accusation of wrongdoing disclosed.
Both politicians are members of Mexico's ruling Morena party, and the confidentiality of US visa records means the exact cause for these politicians’ visa revocations remains officially undisclosed. However, Juan Francisco Gim stated in a video that the revocations were administrative in nature and that no improper actions were alleged against him.
The visa cancellations of Mexican officials seem to be part of a broader tightening of US visa issuance for certain Mexican public figures during the Trump administration. While detailed criteria or charges have not been clarified by US immigration authorities, this move follows similar cases where Mexican musicians and officials have had visas revoked over alleged ties to drug cartels or other security concerns. Neither Gim nor Ávila have been publicly accused of such matters.
Despite the visa revocation, Juan Francisco Gim continues to engage in official matters, including binational security meetings. He also stated that he is continuing to work normally. US immigration authorities declined to provide details about the visa revocation of Juan Francisco Gim, citing confidentiality of foreign visa records.
Nogales, where Gim serves as mayor, is a northern Mexico border city that borders the US state of Arizona. The city has been in the spotlight recently due to the US's tightened visa policies. In a similar vein, the US is refusing visas to Palestinian Authority officials and is considering requiring up to $15,000 bonds for some tourist visas under a new pilot program.
The US has also tightened visa interview waiver rules, effective from September 2 in a new update. This move comes amidst a series of visa issues faced by popular Mexican musicians, with artists like Grupo Firme, Julion Alvarez, and Lorenzo de Monteclaro encountering visa problems that led to cancellations or postponements of performances in the United States.
In a surprising twist, last month, Juan Francisco Gim praised the Donald Trump administration's immigration crackdown. The governor of the northwestern Mexican state of Baja California, Marina del Pilar Avila, also had her US visa cancelled in May last year. The revocation of visas for Mexican politicians has sparked debate and raised questions about the transparency and fairness of US immigration policies.
- The revocation of visas for Mexican politicians, such as Juan Francisco Gim and Marina del Pilar Ávila, has not only been a part of a broader tightening of US visa issuance for certain Mexican public figures, but also seems to extend to popular Mexican musicians like Grupo Firme, Julion Alvarez, and Lorenzo de Monteclaro, raising questions about the transparency and fairness of US immigration policies.
- Amidst the visa issues faced by Mexican politicians like Juan Francisco Gim and Marina del Pilar Ávila and popular musicians, the US has also been refusing visas to Palestinian Authority officials and is considering requiring up to $15,000 bonds for some tourist visas under a new pilot program, indicating a broader trend in the tightening of US visa policies.
