Trump's Built an Invisible Border Wall. It's Costing All of Us.

"Much has been written about building a southern border wall to stop immigration. But while the fight over black paint, bricks, and steel has dominated headlines, another wall-larger, quieter, and potentially far more damaging-is already rising. This one is invisible. It's made of visa denials, delays, and mounting barriers that keep students, workers, tourists, and families from reaching the U.S."

"U.S. consulates are grappling with reduced staffing and increased workload, leading to systemic bottlenecks. For example, it currently takes 11 months to get a tourist visa at the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. The next available tourist visa appointment in Abu Dhabi is in 18 months. And visa wait times in India can exceed a year. For employers who need to hire quickly, this is a deal-breaker."

Visa policies and consular practices are creating a global, invisible barrier that restricts students, workers, tourists, and families from entering the United States. The State Department issued millions of temporary visas and green cards even as southern border encounters exceeded two million, but expanded interview requirements, heightened vetting, longer wait times, and higher costs are reducing access. Interview-waiver limits will dramatically increase appointment backlogs. Reduced consular staffing and rising workloads have produced multi-month waits in locations such as Ciudad Juárez, Abu Dhabi, and India. Employers face hiring obstacles and the cumulative effect risks isolating the United States internationally.

Read at Slate Magazine