Special immigrant US visas were created to give to people who worked for contractors in Afghanistan and Iraq, or directly for the US government in such countries, often at risk to their own lives. But, in recent weeks, US visa holders have been threatened with deportation or have been held in detention by federal immigration officials.
The travel ban, which was signed by President Donald Trump as an executive order, has been put on hold by federal court judges. But his administration is still intent on making it more difficult for people from certain countries to get hold of US visas, and has promised to increase the screening they face when attempting to enter the US.
The law also allows federal immigration officers to use broad discretion, allowing them to turn foreign visitors away at ports of entry, such as airports, even if they have the correct legal documentation. Immigrant advocates have also accused US Customs and Border Patrol agents of behaving aggressively at border crossings and airports, with cases of refugees and US visa holders having trouble getting past border agents documented by the International Refugee Assistance Project.
Immigrant advocates say it is hard to be eligible for a special immigrant US visa. The process entails extensive background checks by the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department, and can often take up to two years before approval is given.