The On-going Battle for the American Visa

Chido Nwangwu in this piece faults the new visa rules and regulations for intending visitors to the United States recently introduced by the administration of President Donald Trump.

President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, knows how to keep the curious attention of the world his core base. The man whose unapologetically divisive and aggressive approach to communicating his agenda has the country polarized.

He lived up to his reputation in the 18-minute, live-televised speech, only two days ago on December 17. While he painted a better, safer, more stable and increasingly prosperous image of America, the material facts are different.

In the wise words of our elders, you cannot tell a visually-challenged man that there’s no salt in his/her soup but you can say there’s very little oil.

Trump, an American President who seems clearly enthralled by the attractions, possibilities and daily grandeur of being an unrestrained king, repeats claims and exaggerates the direction and vitality of the American society and economy.

He wants Americans to believe and buy into the partisan, saccharine claims of a far better economy….  Trump has his worst approval ratings ever for his handling of the economy, in the December 2025 polling by NPR/PBS News/Marist poll. 57% of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling the economy.

Latest economic facts and the polling show that Americans are concerned about the cost of living, healthcare prices, and personal finances. The management and revitalization of the economy was previously viewed as one of the president’s strengths.

Significantly, only 36% say the president is doing a good job, which the NPR pointed to as the lowest this poll has found across both of his terms in office.

There are the turmoil and issues regarding immigration, tarriffs wars and all the related issues of racially polarizing acts.

Meanwhile, the U.S. immigration agency, USCIS, has revised its biometric policy, limiting reuse of photographs to three years and ending acceptance of self-submitted images.

The Trump White House has since taken the position that the sudden orders, generally unprecedented executive policy actions are unleashed to strengthen security and identity verification.

The White House characterizes the move as part of broader efforts to strengthen national security and prevent identity fraud within the U.S. immigration system.

Under the updated rules, which take effect immediately, USCIS will only reuse a previously captured photograph if it was taken no more than 36 months before an applicant files a new immigration form.

The image must have been collected during a biometric services appointment or through another authorised process.

From one major city to another, it’s been tales of immigration tribulations and troubles, of tears and trauma, battles between living here in the United States or being forced to “return, go back” to the “old country” and its challenges.

As we approach Christmas next week of December 2025, H-1B and H-4 visa interviews are mainly being postponed or cancelled. These have been the immediate consequences of the U.S. Department of State requirement that all visa applicants must show their “online presence review”

It seems like almost every month, a new set of immigration requirements are announced by the Trump White House.

Former President Obama said on September 13, 2016, near Philadelphia: “We can’t vote for people who see immigrants as criminals and rapists…. We need [someone who] understands that the American dream is not something a wall can contain.”

Philadelphia is popularly known as the “City of Brotherly Love.” Who needs the kind of love they are getting from President Trump, Speaker Johnson and some of the Republican xenophobists?