Keith Rowley demands transparency over US visa revocations

Former Prime Minister Keith Rowley is demanding transparency from Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar regarding whether her administration has recommended the revocation of US visas for Trinidad and Tobago nationals.

Rowley has accused the United National Congress (UNC) leadership of using the threat of visa cancellations to intimidate citizens. He specifically questioned previous calls made by Persad-Bissessar and others to have his and former Prime Minister Stuart Young’s visas cancelled, asking which specific offenses they had committed based on criteria recently clarified by the US State Department.

While the Trinidad and Tobago government can communicate information or express positions to American authorities, it lacks the legal authority to issue or revoke US visas. The US Department of State maintains that all visa decisions are made solely by the United States under its own immigration laws. The US Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago previously clarified that such decisions do not rest with foreign governments or political figures.