By Akoi M. Baysah, Jr.
The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) at the Poynter Institute has strongly condemned the recent U.S. decision to deny visas to European public officials and civil society leaders, calling it a “disturbing departure from historic principles of free expression.”
The bans reportedly target individuals for their professional contributions to information integrity, a move the IFCN describes as antithetical to democratic values.
“These officials are being personally targeted for their civic participation under laws passed by their own democratic governments, including the European Union’s Digital Services Act,” the IFCN statement said.
“Their work, ranging from exposing coordinated disinformation to defending the public’s right to reliable information, is not censorship.
The visa bans, however, amount to censorship.” The IFCN also opposed the U.S. classification of fact-checkers, researchers, and trust-and-safety professionals as potential national security threats.
They have warned that such labeling mirrors tactics used by authoritarian regimes to suppress independent media. Committed to protecting the global fact-checking community, the IFCN plans to assess how these policies hinder journalistic operations and expand legal and safety support for professionals facing political retaliation.
The organization urged an immediate reversal of the restrictions, emphasizing that free expression must safeguard those working to ensure public discourse remains factual, transparent, and accountable.
The visa suspension affects individuals from 75 countries, including Liberia, who are seeking to immigrate to the U.S. under family-based, employment-based, or diversity visa categories. The countries impacted include 27 in Africa, 22 in Asia, 8 in Europe, 13 in North America and the Caribbean, 3 in South America, and 1 in Oceania.
The U.S. State Department has directed consular officers to refuse visas under existing law while it reassesses screening and vetting procedures. According to officials, the review aims to ensure that individuals approved for entry do not pose a risk to national security or public safety.
The suspension is expected to remain in effect indefinitely until the reassessment is complete.
