Foreign journalists working with US-backed media outlets are facing uncertainty and fear after President Donald Trump’s executive order gutting the US Agency for Global Media. The agency, which funds Radio Free Asia and other outlets, aims to extend American influence abroad by providing uncensored information to parts of the world under authoritarian rule.
At least 84 journalists with USAGM in the United States on work visas could face deportation, including 23 at serious risk of arrest and potential imprisonment. Eleven journalists associated with US-funded media outlets are currently behind bars overseas, such as RFA’s Shin Daewe, serving 15 years in Myanmar for supporting terrorism.
Journalists at Risk
– Vuthy Tha and Hour Hum: Two Cambodian journalists who arrived in the US on work visas, their jobs and legal status now uncertain, fear persecution if returned to Cambodia, a single-party state hostile to independent media.
– Persecuted Minorities: Some journalists could face physical danger or imprisonment if deported, including a persecuted minority who could risk 10 years in prison for working with Voice of America.
Reactions and Concerns
– Thibaut Bruttin, Reporters Without Borders: “It’s outrageous that these journalists, who risk their lives to expose repression, might be abandoned. The US Congress must protect these reporters and USAGM-funded outlets.”
– US State Department: Condemns unjust detentions of journalists for exercising freedom of expression and coordinates with USAGM on imprisoned journalists.
Ongoing Developments
– Lawsuit: Voice of America, a news service overseen by USAGM, sued in federal court over Trump’s order, with the court halting contract terminations and preventing visa holders from being forced to leave.
Be the first to comment