President Trump’s decision to suspend visa services at the U.S. Embassy in Colombia on Sunday, January 26^th as part of an effective effort to pressure the government of Colombia to agree to accept flights of Colombian citizens being deported from the United States, makes it more likely that the same tactic will be used with other countries who fail to comply with U.S. immigration directives and policies. This approach could also be deployed to pressure countries that resist other U.S. demands unrelated to immigration. While the dispute with Colombia was resolved, the fallout lingers, and normal visa operations in Bogota have not resumed as of today (Tuesday, January 28, 2025). When they are restored, delays in obtaining appointments will continue and likely worsen.

Presidential authority under section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to order the suspension of visa services to individuals and groups, including specific nationalities, is broad and has been upheld by the courts. Should the administration decide to shut down or severely limit visa services to other countries or groups of individuals in the future, there will likely be little notice, and the potential disruption to normal travel for citizens of those countries will be significant. Possession of valid visas will not insulate these individuals, as the President also has the authority to instruct the Department of State to cancel previously issued visas and to instruct immigration officers at the border to deny entry to them.

Although the cancellation of a valid visa does not automatically serve to terminate the lawfully admitted status of persons already in the United States, it would mean that if those persons had to depart the U.S. for any reason they would not be able to return in valid status until such time as the administration determined to rescind the ban against issuing new visas to them.

This new era of uncertainty poses serious challenges for employers and their employees holding valid employment-authorizing nonimmigrant visas, even those from countries closely allied to the United States. With visa operations now subject to sudden interruption, personal and professional travel outside the United States could become problematic. Both groups must now ask themselves — is this trip really necessary?