OPINION:
Illegal immigration tends to grab the biggest headlines these days, but visitors who overstay their visas pose a much bigger threat to our national security than most people realize. President Trump’s latest travel suspension, which went into effect June 9, is a commonsense approach to dealing with its greatest offenders.
Mr. Trump recently signed a proclamation protecting America from foreign terrorists and national security threats. In this latest travel restriction, 12 countries face a total suspension: Afghanistan, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Seven countries face a partial suspension of select visa types: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
One who overstayed his visa is Egyptian national Mohamed Sabry Soliman. In a targeted terrorist attack this month, he threw a Molotov cocktail into a group of people gathering in support of the Israeli hostages, leaving many injured. Mr. Soliman had overstayed his visa and was granted a work permit, which had also expired.
It is worth noting that Mr. Trump did not restrict visas to Egyptian nationals in his latest visa suspension because the United States and Egyptian governments cooperate regarding international travel, terrorism and immigration information. This demonstrates that the Trump administration carefully analyzed each country before issuing this limited visa restriction.
Plus, the fact that nearly half the affected countries are not predominantly Muslim proves that this presidential action is not a “Muslim ban,” as leftists intentionally and erroneously label it to recycle their “Islamophobia” card.
Like Mr. Trump’s travel restriction during his first term, his latest proclamation notes every country separately and details why each should face full or partial suspension of visa issuances. Mr. Trump also has the Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v. Hawaii from 2018 supporting his authority on the issue:
“By its plain language, §1182(f) [of the Immigration and Nationality Act] grants the President broad discretion to suspend the entry of aliens into the United States. The President lawfully exercised that discretion based on his findings — following a worldwide, multi-agency review — that entry of the covered aliens would be detrimental to the national interest.”
Writing the majority opinion, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. affirmed that the president has the authority to issue travel restrictions for the sake of national security.
Of note, the political left has not yet sued the Trump administration for this travel restriction, although they have immediately sued the administration for nearly every other action. Then again, suing against this action would be yet another losing exercise.
Time is of the essence to finally address the visa overstay issue. U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s limited Entry/Exit Overstay Report disclosed at least 565,000 total visa overstays in 2023 alone. Some visa overstays committed crimes or were wanted for crimes in their respective home countries.
In 2023, Brandon Estrada De Leon overstayed his visa and committed crimes of rape, child abduction and contributing to the delinquency of a minor in Virginia. Brazilian national Antonio Jose De Abreu Vidal Filho was arrested in 2023 in New Hampshire on charges of mass murder in Brazil and overstaying his visa. In 2024, Honduran national Fredy Rufino Aguilar-Hernandez, unlawfully present in Texas, was wanted for murder in his home country. These are just a few examples.
Yet we know we are more vulnerable, especially after President Biden unlawfully let in millions of improperly or even completely unvetted aliens. We don’t know who exactly is in our country.
Furthermore, countries whose nationals habitually overstay U.S. visas don’t deserve additional U.S. visas. Imposing visa restrictions is the first logical step in protecting our nation and its people from national security and public safety threats and applying consequences for immigration violations.
Only when faced with immigration consequences will foreigners and foreign nations change their behavior toward complying with U.S. immigration laws.
• Erin Schniederjan is a researcher specializing in homeland security issues at The Heritage Foundation.
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