As if the increase in the price of non-immigrant visas for travelers wanting to enter the United States weren’t enough, the Trump administration continues to up the ante. Many immigrants await their appointment to arrange their immigrant visa application, for whom the process will now be somewhat more difficult. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced changes to the Immigration Policy of the United States. According to USCIS, they will no longer provide translators and interpreters to applicants who do not speak English, and if one is needed, it will be the applicant’s responsibility to bring it.
This new measure is announced with the arrival of Joseph Edlow, director of USCIS by decision of Donald Trump. It was the president who signed this executive order last March, declaring English as the national language of the United States. This decision imposes a linguistic limitation for applicants, especially in Miami, where a large part of the population speaks only Spanish. Moreover, obtaining a certified interpreter represents an additional expense for applicants, many of whom cannot even afford it. The administration indicates that if they need it and have not obtained it, they will have to cancel and reschedule the appointment, further slowing and delaying the process.
USCIS say goodbye to their interpreters
The immigration policies of the United States are becoming increasingly strict. This is the case for immigrants who want to apply for a visa to enter the country, as they now have a somewhat harder time than before. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced through their account on the social network X the new measure that has been taken regarding the visa application process.
From now on, they will stop providing certified interpreters to applicants who do not speak English and need one. Instead, it will be the applicants who will have to bring a translator. According to the agency, “If you have an upcoming appointment at a local USCIS office and need interpretation services, you are now responsible for bringing your own interpreter”.
The reason for this new measure
The relationship between this new measure and the tightening of immigration policies under Donald Trump is clear. The announcement comes just after Trump’s appointment of Joseph Edlow as the director of the agency. According to the new director, this is about a ‘restoration of integrity’ to the country’s immigration system. In other words, it is about putting up more barriers for those who want to enter the country. In addition to this measure, USCIS announced that it will not be the only restrictive measure that will be implemented. Those with medical certifications that exempt them from taking naturalization exams will also see the requirements tighten.
What must the applicants do now?
This new measure leaves applicants completely helpless. There are states like Florida, where practically the entire population speaks Spanish, so the impact of the measure is considerable. It is not just another obstacle in the path towards regularizing their stay in the country, but for many, it signifies the end of the road. Many applicants will have to face the extra expense of hiring a translator, while many others do not even have the means to afford it.
Furthermore, according to the administration, if they attend without a certified interpreter and are unable to communicate in English, the appointment will be canceled, and the applicant will have to schedule another one. This causes a collapse and delay in the visa regularization lists, making the process even more eternal.
English as the official language
Last March, Donald Trump signed the executive order that officially states that English is the national language of the United States. This way, it promotes that institutions only use English, and from the White House, it was declared that this is the way to favor the integration of immigrants. For now (because with Trump, you never know what might happen), the use of other languages in the country has not been banned, and what signifies integration and progress for the president is an obstacle for immigrants in the regularization of their visa.