EU Might Respond to ‘Unwarranted’ US Visa Bans, Official Says

The EU could “act quickly and firmly” against what it calls “unjustified” visa bans imposed by the US against five Europeans working on fighting digital hatred and disinformation, a European Commission spokesperson has said.

European Leaders Decry US Move as ‘Coercion’

Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron accused Washington of “bullying and threats”, after the travel bans targeted figures that were central to efforts to enact legislation regulating US-based technology firms.

“For too long, European activists have led organised efforts to coerce American platforms to suppress American viewpoints they disagree with,” stated the US secretary of state online. “The current administration will not stand for these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship.”

Widespread Condemnation From EU Nations

Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials supported France in criticizing the decision.

The bans were enacted this week against a former EU commissioner involved in crafting the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), as well as several anti-disinformation campaigners, from Germany and the United Kingdom.

A Deepening Dispute Over Regulation

The DSA is viewed by US officials as a type of speech restriction, while European leaders argue the rules are necessary to combat hate speech and falsehoods.

This row threatens to become a facet of a much broader ongoing cultural and political conflict involving Washington and European institutions.

Other Developments Reported Today

In related legal developments:

• A US district judge has blocked attempts to reduce federal homeland security funding to local governments that do not comply with certain immigration enforcement policies. The official ruled the case was “another example” of tying federal aid to policy compliance.
• Authorization was issued for the dispatch of 350 national guard members to a major US city prior to the new year, coinciding with an ongoing immigration enforcement operation.
• The nation of Palau will consent to take in a limited number of individuals from the US in return for increased assistance, following signing a memorandum of understanding with Washington.

Furthermore, a Democratic lawmaker has initiated legal action seeking the removal of the current president’s name from a prominent cultural institution in Washington DC.

Analysts have also noted that comments regarding Venezuelan oil align with a wider ideology in certain circles of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with historical international actions.