Pi Delta Sigma

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2026

New visa limits threaten international reporting, press access and the free exchange of information

MARSHALL, Mo. — Pi Delta Sigma, Missouri Valley College’s journalism society, is calling on the federal government to reconsider new visa regulations that would sharply limit how long foreign journalists may remain in the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security announced a final rule Thursday replacing the current flexible admission period for holders of I visas, which are issued to foreign media representatives, with fixed periods of admission. Under the new regulations, most foreign journalists would be admitted for no more than 240 days, while Chinese journalists would be limited to 90 days. Journalists seeking to remain longer would have to apply for an extension or leave the country and seek readmission. The rule is scheduled to take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, subject to congressional review.

Pi Delta Sigma believes the new policy creates unnecessary uncertainty for journalists and news organizations engaged in long-term reporting from the United States.

“Meaningful journalism rarely conforms to an arbitrary deadline,” Pi Delta Sigma Adviser Chris Post said. “Foreign correspondents need time to develop sources, understand the communities they cover and follow complicated stories as they unfold. Requiring them to repeatedly seek permission to continue their work threatens the independence and continuity that responsible reporting requires.”

The United States granted visas to approximately 37,300 foreign media representatives during fiscal year 2024. The Department of Homeland Security has said increased visa admissions have made monitoring nonimmigrant visitors more difficult.

Pi Delta Sigma recognizes the government’s responsibility to administer immigration laws and protect national security. Those responsibilities, however, should be balanced against the public interest served by an independent international press.

Foreign journalists provide audiences around the world with direct reporting on American government, culture, business and public life. They also bring international perspectives to events within the United States and help American news organizations maintain relationships with reporters and audiences abroad.

Creating short and uncertain admission periods may discourage experienced correspondents from accepting assignments in the United States. It may also increase financial and administrative burdens on smaller news organizations that lack the resources to repeatedly manage extension applications, international travel and possible interruptions in coverage.

The separate 90-day limit imposed on Chinese journalists is particularly troubling. Immigration and security policies should be based on individualized and transparent standards rather than broad restrictions determined primarily by nationality.

“A government confident in its democratic institutions should not fear sustained observation by the international press,” Post said. “The proper response to journalism is more openness, not administrative barriers that make reporting more difficult.”

Pi Delta Sigma urges the Department of Homeland Security and members of Congress to review the rule before it takes effect and consider alternatives that preserve appropriate government oversight without disrupting legitimate journalistic work.

At a minimum, any revised policy should provide foreign correspondents with admission periods appropriate to the length of their professional assignments, a timely and transparent extension process, and equal treatment without discriminatory nationality-based restrictions.

Freedom of the press is not solely a domestic concern. When the United States restricts foreign journalists, it weakens its credibility when advocating for American reporters facing similar restrictions overseas.

Pi Delta Sigma calls on the federal government to uphold the principles of openness, accountability and press freedom by withdrawing or substantially revising the new regulations.

About Pi Delta Sigma

Pi Delta Sigma is a journalism society founded at Missouri Valley College in 2024. Guided by its motto, atramentum et sanguis, or “ink and blood,” the society recognizes excellence in journalism, promotes ethical reporting and advocates for journalists and press freedom in the United States and around the world.