New US immigration law worries Cape Verdean Association of Brockton
The recent change in United States immigration law is worrying the Cape Verdean Association of Brockton, which has called on Cape Verdeans to rethink emigration and invest in their homeland as a guarantee of their future.
In an interview with Inforpress, from the United States, the president of this association, Carlos Silva, lamented the new requirement for a deposit to obtain tourist or business visas, which can reach up to 15,000 dollars, subject to consular evaluation.
According to him, this is an amount that is inaccessible to many Cape Verdean families who used to travel to the United States for tourism or small business, hence the fear that this could cause a significant reduction in travel, with a direct impact on the Cape Verdean economy.
Regarding the suspension of immigrant visas, he emphasized that a large part of Cape Verdeans have an "American dream" and that this will alleviate some of the anxiety of those awaiting immigration processes.
"For us, it's a worrying situation, but we believe it's a temporary suspension to see what can be restructured," he stated, emphasizing that the United States has its own laws and rules that must be respected.
Furthermore, the president of the Cape Verdean Association of Brockton also expressed concern about the persistence of immigration police who continue to inspect undocumented people.
In this context, he appealed to Cape Verdeans to rethink emigration and invest in Cape Verde as a guarantee of the future, also arguing that the archipelago should better prepare its citizens for emigration.
“We must prepare for two scenarios and understand that our country is the only land where no one can expel us,” he stated, recalling past experiences of migration to other African countries, such as Angola, where many Cape Verdeans ended up returning without guarantees.
Carlos Silva stated that approximately 80 percent (%) of Cape Verdeans who enter the U.S. end up staying beyond their authorized time, which, according to him, contributed to the change in U.S. immigration policy.
"I think what the United States wants right now is to have a clean United States, and the more dependent on the state they can be in charge, the better for them," he argued, warning that in the global context, countries are increasingly restricting the entry of foreigners.
However, the association made itself available to guide the community, especially people in vulnerable situations.
Cape Verde is among the 75 countries with immigration visas suspended by the States. The restriction does not affect temporary tourist or business visas and applies to countries whose immigrants receive social support at "levels considered unacceptable".
The country is also on the list of 38 countries in the United States of America's visa deposit program, which will have to pay a deposit of up to $15,000 (more than 1,400 contos) when they are considered eligible for a business/tourist visa (B1/B2).
Inforpress
