Wyden Urges DHS to Abandon Proposal to Further Restrict Visas of Foreign Journalists

Wyden Urges DHS to Abandon Proposal to Further Restrict Visas of Foreign Journalists

"If anyone in the Trump administration disapproves of a journalist's coverage, this policy makes it easier for them to face retaliation and have their application denied"

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., urged the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to abandon its proposed rule that would further restrict press freedom and expand government censorship by requiring foreign journalists to re-apply for permission to work in the United States every few months.

While foreign journalists are currently granted visas to enter for up to five years, this rule would limit their stay to 240 days unless they apply for an extension and have it reviewed by the DHS. This rule would undermine the investigative journalism of foreign journalists that reach global audiences by making it easier for Donald Trump to kick out reporters who are critical of his administration. Reporters have underscored that 240 days is not enough time to provide in-depth coverage on complex, ongoing, or evolving stories.

In his letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Wyden underscored that this rule "would stifle meaningful reporting, chill press freedoms, diminish our global influence, and waste government resources on unnecessary bureaucratic processes. Moving forward with such a proposal may also risk provoking retaliatory actions against American journalists who work abroad."

The rule could result in journalists censoring themselves, foreign governments enacting similar policies, and U.S. adversaries undermining America's influence abroad by further promoting state-sponsored propaganda.

The new visa requirements will also add to a 11 million-case backlog of visas at the DHS.

The text of the letter is here.

Wyden is the son of a journalist, and he has been a longtime defender of press freedoms. In June 2023, he led the PRESS Act to protect journalists' First Amendment rights against government surveillance. In December 2024, Wyden also introduced the Free Speech Protection Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation to crack down on frivolous lawsuits and promote political participation. In September 2025, he demanded answers from TV broadcasters Nexstar and Sinclair after pulling Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air.

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