By Jesus Garcia
Without explaining it directly, The State Department suggests that the visa of the governors of Sonora, Alfonso Durazo, and of Tamaulipas, Américo Villarreal, could be suspended.
This newspaper asked US authorities to confirm whether the visas of both Mexican governors were withdrawn, citing journalistic reports. The names of both officials were included in the formal request for information, so the State Department’s response would be specific to these cases.
“Background checks are an ongoing process, and applicants [de visas] “They are evaluated before, during and after the consular resolution,” said a spokesperson for that US agency. “After the issuance of a visa, if the Department becomes aware of new and potentially unfavorable information, a consular officer reviews it to determine if the applicant is still eligible for the visa“.
The State Department emphasized that there is a constant review of visas and the fact of having it in force does not mean that a person is admissible, since there may be new elements to block the permit.
“The Trump Administration protects our nation and its citizens by maintaining the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process,” the spokesperson added.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) of Mexico affirms that President Donald Trump’s government has not officially reported on the withdrawal of visasbut the US authority did not address this report.
The cases of Durazo and Villarreal became relevant after Los Angeles Timesin collaboration with Puente News Collaborative – published a report that indicates that both Mexican governors lost their entry visas to the US, but have a special permit, known as “Most important Public Assist Parole” or “Permission for a Significant Public Benefit”, which is established under the Nationality and Immigration Act (INA), for foreigners who attend to specific matters of interest to the US government, including judicial investigations.
Neither the State Department nor the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to this newspaper that both Mexican officials have such “parole.”.
David Fisher, the journalist who published the investigation, told this newspaper that his sources confirmed that Durazo and Villarreal have the aforementioned special permission.
“They are under investigation in the United States and their visas have been revoked and they have a so-called special permit, which is called, it is a Most important Public Assist Parole, which is called, a significant public benefit, which means that it is a benefit for the United States, for United States authorities,” he stated.
Villarreal showed his visa this Friday at a press conference in Mexico, but a federal source in the US indicates that not every time a visa is canceled the document is withdrawn, it is simply canceled and the person becomes inadmissible. Villarreal did not confirm that he has managed to enter the US with that visa he showed.
The report supports the investigations carried out by the Trump government against Mexican politicians and their possible collusion with organized crime.
