Shocking visa freeze - ... But embassy assistant urges Jamaicans not to panic

Despite Washington's shock announcement that it is pausing immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, including Jamaica, one embassy assistant in Kingston says she is unbothered by the potential impact on her business.

For Simone "Shelly" Henry, the fact that Jamaicans have not been barred from accessing non-immigrant visas indicates that there is no reason to panic.

"People ago come same way fi dem visa, that nah go stop it," said Henry who operates across from the US embassy in Liguanea, St Andrew.

Henry runs one of the informal services applicants rely on to navigate the embassy's strict rules -- no phones, no bags, no electronics. She guards documents, guides nervous applicants through security, and calms anxious hearts.

"This nah just a side hustle, a my honest bread," she said, noting she helps more than 200 customers each week.

The State Department said yesterday it will suspend the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries whose nationals the Trump administration has deemed likely to require public assistance while living in the United States.

The suspension, which will begin January 21, will not apply to applicants seeking non-immigrant visas, or temporary tourist or business visas, who make up the vast majority of visa seekers.

Each year, thousands of Jamaicans apply for US visas for family reunions, medical treatment, education, and business opportunities. Many now fear the latest move could be just the beginning of a wider crackdown.

The USA, Canada, and the United Kingdom remain top destinations for Jamaicans chasing the dream of permanent residence or citizenship. In 2023, of the 27,782 Jamaicans who migrated, a whopping 21,460 set their sights on the United States. Another 4,340 went to Canada and 1,982 to the UK.

Similarly, in 2024, some 17,100 of the 23,690 migrants went to the USA, according to the Economic and Social Survey of Jamaica (2024).

But outside the embassy yesterday, Henry remains unshaken. She warned, however, that those already in the system may face delays. "Anybody already filing a go feel it. A backlog coming. If dem nuh get dem papers before January 21, dem affi wait," she explained.

However, not everyone is buying her optimism. A commuter in Half-Way Tree, St Andrew, who gave her name only as Abby, warned Jamaicans are underestimating the US crackdown.

"Yuh kind a delusional if yuh believe say is just immigrant visa," she said. "A only a matter of time before it reach the regular visiting visa."

Abby, who has been denied a visitor visa three times, has given up hope. "I don't think I'll be going back anytime soon," she admitted. She added, "That president now exercising every option fi keep immigrants out."