United States immigration policies face legal scrutiny over visa cancellations and minor protections

Legal experts and activists are raising alarms over new immigration enforcement measures in the United States that could impact visa holders and unaccompanied minors.

An executive order issued on August 6 reportedly allows U.S. officials to cancel visas during inspections at international border crossings. Legal experts, including immigration attorney Arturo Vázquez, have raised concerns that the order lacks clear temporal limits, potentially allowing for retroactive application. The ACLU has requested judicial clarification on how this order interacts with Supreme Court rulings regarding the citizenship of children born in the U.S. Vázquez has advised parents with U.S.-born children to avoid traveling through El Paso until a federal judge provides a ruling, which is expected before October.

Simultaneously, advocates are highlighting the vulnerability of unaccompanied minors. Cases involving children with Special Immigrant Juvenile Status are reportedly being reopened or rescheduled by the government, placing them at risk of deportation. One case involves a 14-year-old from Mexico who, despite having legal protections, faces uncertainty regarding her permanent residency due to administrative motions to reopen previously closed cases.