84 USAGM journalists on US work visas now face potential deportation
A coalition of 36 human rights organisations, led by Reporters Sans Frontier (RSF) a leading global press freedom and national civil society organisations, has urged the United State Congress to take immediate action to safeguard journalists affiliated with the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM). The appeal follows an executive order that dismantled the agency, leaving many journalists at risk of imprisonment or deportation.
In a press statement, RSF says that the coalition warns that many journalists face imprisonment or deportation following the effective dismantling of USAGM through an executive order issued by President Donald Trump on March 14.
It adds that on April 1, RSF, PEN America, and other organisations sent a joint letter to Congress, urging intervention to support foreign journalists working for USAGM-funded outlets, including Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), and Radio Free Asia (RFA).
The statement adds that letter highlights the risk of persecution these journalists face if forced to return to their home countries due to employment termination.
It adds that USAGM, which allocates congressional funds to independent public media, has seen its operations disrupted following the executive order.
RSF says that currently, 11 USAGM journalists are imprisoned in various countries, including five in Vietnam, two in Russia, one in Belarus, one in Azerbaijan and two in Myanmar. Among them, Shin Daewe, an RFA Burmese service contributor, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison on terrorism-related charges.
It adds that additionally, at least 84 USAGM journalists on US work visas now face potential deportation. This includes 15 RFA journalists and eight VOA journalists from countries such as Belarus, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Russia, and Vietnam. Many are at immediate risk of arrest and imprisonment upon return.
Thibaut Bruttin
It further adds that the coalition has put forth several recommendations for Congress, including urging the state department to allocate resources for securing the release of detained journalists, expediting immigration applications, and suspending the 30/60-day visa rule for terminated employees. It also calls for congressional hearings to address the situation and legislative action to provide legal protections for affected journalists.
According to RSF on March 28, a US judge granted a temporary restraining order in a case filed by RSF and VOA employees against the administration’s decision to dismantle USAGM.
It adds that the United States has dropped to 55th place in the 2024 RSF World Press Freedom Index, falling 10 spots from the previous year.
“It is outrageous that these journalists, who risk their lives to expose the extent of repression in their home countries, might be completely abandoned. The US Congress must take responsibility for protecting these reporters and all USAGM-funded outlets, funded by Congress itself. This responsibility is not just moral it stems from the United States’ commitment to defending the principles of democracy and press freedom,” says Thibaut Bruttin, Director General, RSF.