Latest news with #AlvinGibbs
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Trump's visa policies have foreign musicians on edge. How will they affect Coachella and touring?
Last month, Alvin Gibbs, bassist of the British punk band U.K. Subs, said he was turned away at the border before his Los Angeles show. He wrote on Facebook that when the band got to LAX, they were "detained in a cold holding pen, along with a group of Colombian, Chinese, and Mexican detainees. My luggage, phone, and passport were confiscated." He and most of the band were sent back to the U.K., Gibbs said, for having an incorrect visa. But he wondered if other factors contributed. 'I can't help but wonder whether my frequent, and less than flattering, public comments regarding their president and his administration played a role," he wrote. "Or perhaps I'm simply succumbing to paranoia.' Whatever happened with Gibbs' visa, as Coachella season ramps up, international artists are triple-checking any possible snags before performing in the U.S. It's never been easy or cheap for global acts to tour here, but visa fees are up and wait times have risen substantially over the last year. Under the new Trump administration, anecdotal stories of foreign tourists, scientists and activists being denied entry or taken into federal custody have rattled outspoken acts. Read more: Columbia student protester who's lived in the U.S. since age 7 sues to stop deportation order It's too soon to know how policy shifts may affect the live music market in the U.S. But behind the scenes, artists are calling their lawyers. 'We haven't seen many problems just yet,' said Matthew Covey, the executive director of Tamizdat, a New York nonprofit that helps global artists secure performance and residence visas. 'But it's hard to say everything is fine, because it's not. They have reason to worry. You take an already difficult touring atmosphere, add now a layer of political fear. There's a risk of artists looking to other markets instead of the U.S.' While the incoming Trump administration has dominated headlines about the border, challenges with touring and residency visas escalated under the Biden administration too. In January 2023, the government proposed large fee hikes for artists pursuing O and P visas to live or perform in the U.S. The fee increases were reduced for arts nonprofits and small businesses, but now cost between $510 and $2,805 per applicant, depending on the type and speed of the visa. A bigger problem, insiders say, came in 2023 after the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services rerouted all artist visa applications through a Texas central office, and onto facilities in either Vermont or California. According to USCIS, the Vermont facility processes most applications in two and a half months. Yet the California office takes around nine months — a huge obstacle requiring thousands in extra fees to expedite them. 'People going through that process look at that and say, 'I don't know if I have $6,000 for this,'' Covey said. 'If your tour is already on a knife's edge, you might decide it's not worth it.' A spokesperson for USCIS declined an interview request. Read more: Visa approval crisis threatens to cost 2026 World Cup and L.A. Olympics millions Other challenges for acts touring the States include inflation and — for now — a strong U.S. dollar. 'There's fatigue related to the significant increase in costs and expediting costs. Legal fees and government fees are just a slice of that,' Covey said. 'The exchange rate is brutal for anyone not making a lot of money on tours. If you look at international bookings at major festivals, they've been declining. I fear that trend will increase substantially.' Several top international acts at Coachella, and the booking agencies representing them, declined to talk about any visa concerns. One executive at a prominent booking agency, who spoke on background for fear of retaliation, said that 'the visa process for artists has always been a mess, and it's gotten more messy recently. If the guy opening up your application is having a bad day, they can do whatever they want. If they look at a band on an artistic level and say, 'This isn't good,' you can be denied. If two bands are identical in every regard, same label and promoter, same booking agency, making the same money and paying the same taxes, it's a coin toss. 'I just did visas for a Coachella band and it was $8,000,' they continued. 'It's becoming a huge financial hurdle because it takes so long through regular channels, you have to go for the heavy-duty expediting.' The U.S. remains one of the most important touring markets, especially for its internationally-renowned festivals like Coachella, which has a global fanbase and brings top acts from Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa. 'It's still the biggest market in world. People don't want to close the door to the U.S.,' said Lorraine D'Alessio, founder of the Beverly Hills firm D'Alessio Law, which specializes in immigration to the U.S. with an emphasis on the entertainment industry. 'There's a lot of money here, and the entertainment capitals haven't changed. Hollywood, Atlanta and Nashville are pockets of incredible exposure.' The booking executive agreed that 'uncertainty hasn't changed the ways we think about clients. We're not going to not sign a group from Turkey because visas are annoying.' However, recent high-profile incidents of foreign tourists, students and legal residents being taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities have frightened many in music, especially those who have criticized the Trump administration or supported Palestine. Read more: California international students on alert as Trump ramps up arrests of pro-Palestinian activists Tamizdat said, in guidance to artists applying for visas, that President Trump's executive order 'Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and other National Security and Public Safety Threats' was "chilling," and "could be used to deny entry to the U.S. based on alarmingly expansive, politicized, and subjective criteria. This could certainly be used to exclude artists that are perceived to be 'dangerous.'' Covey said that, so far, they see any politically-driven chill as more a worry than a reality just yet.'We've seen artists say lots of things on social media who got visas, trans artists getting visas without a problem,' he said. 'But it's not that agents and labels and artists don't have a right to be concerned.' 'The fact that an artist hasn't been disappeared yet is good,' Covey said, pausing with the gravity of that. 'But I'm not going to tell artists they're fine.' The famously outspoken Neil Young wrote on his website recently, "When I go to play music in Europe, if I talk about Donald J. Trump, I may be one of those returning to America who is barred or put in jail to sleep on a cement floor with an aluminum blanket. That is happening all the time now." The influential U.K. trans electronic artist Aya told Pitchfork that "I'm not coming to the U.S. until anything changes ... I don't want to chance paying eight or 10 grand for a visa and then get turned away at the border because my passport doesn't line up with what they see." 'There's an uncertainty in the air,' the booking executive agreed. 'So many artists are very outspoken online, and you're putting yourself in a position where anything can happen. When you come to the border, they're looking at your profiles. If any flags are raised, you could be in a dangerous position.' What impacts could this have on this summer's festival season and beyond? This month, the State Department revoked visas for a Mexican band, Los Alegres del Barranco, for portraying "images glorifying drug kingpin 'El Mencho' — head of the grotesquely violent CJNG cartel,' Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote on X. Last week, the British artist FKA Twigs, who hasn't performed in the U.S. since 2019, canceled her much-anticipated North American tour just days before her Coachella dates. 'I'm devastated to share the news that due to ongoing visa issues I am not able to see through any of my scheduled tour dates for the remainder of April across North America,' she said on Instagram. "I know this impacts so many of you that have already made plans and spent money in order to see these shows." Read more: U.S. revokes visas of Mexican band members accused of 'glorifying' drug kingpin More artists like her might suddenly learn that what had been an expensive, time-consuming formality to get a visa is now an insurmountable obstacle for a long-planned tour. Global acts — especially emerging or politically outspoken artists — might decide it's not worth the expense or risk. Others may cut back on dates to reduce border crossings. 'When we do North American routing for international acts, that often includes border crossings at Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal," the booking executive said. "Right now I might say, 'We don't rock the boat, let's not go to Toronto and Montreal.' Even if you're 100% aboveboard, this uncertainty is a piece we can't control.' Given the Canadian Independent Music Association's boycott of the South by Southwest Film and TV Festival, other countries might decide the U.S. needs a taste of its own policies. 'We really have no idea what the context and climate is going to be mid-March, and it made it difficult for me to kind of want to step confidently forward,' CIMA Chief Executive Andrew Cash said in a February statement announcing the cancellation of its long-running Canada House showcase in Austin. 'We don't know what is coming down the chute.' Others are skeptical of a boycott. 'It's too soon to say if there would be a larger, coordinated 'we're not going to the U.S.' action,' the booking executive said. 'The gears of capitalism are such that it's unlikely. There are too many brass rings here in the music world, and when push comes to shove, people just deal with it.' President Trump's proposed travel bans or increased scrutiny on 40 countries may have some effect but are not yet in place. Covey said he didn't expect other countries to retaliate against American artists touring abroad. 'It's hard to single out artists from one country for a retaliatory immigration code,' he said. 'Most countries realize that punishing artists is not going to get them far.' Any impacts on touring will probably be felt in an added pall on what looks to be a shaky summer tour climate, where acts as big as Beyoncé and Linkin Park have slashed ticket prices on stadium shows that have not yet sold out. Other major Los Angeles events like the upcoming Summer Olympics and World Cup could face similar challenges. Read more: There are plenty of cheap seats left for Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' tour. A bad omen for live music? D'Alessio said that the process is still worth it. 'We've been telling clients they need to get their stuff in order, and some need a kick in the pants to get their act together,' she said. 'I'm an immigrant. We have to follow the rules, and they're getting enforced now. But those who decide to close the door are not making the right call. The U.S. is still the epicenter of the music industry.' The booking executive did have one grim piece of advice, though. 'I'm not posting anything,' they said. 'In the outrage economy, even the most innocuous things can gather steam. You can't risk it. If you get popped and your passport's flagged, no one has any control on our end. You're done.' Get notified when the biggest stories in Hollywood, culture and entertainment go live. Sign up for L.A. Times entertainment alerts. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Trump's visa policies have foreign musicians on edge. How will they affect Coachella and touring?
Last month, Alvin Gibbs, bassist of the British punk band U.K. Subs, said he was turned away at the border before his Los Angeles show. He wrote on Facebook that when the band got to LAX, they were 'detained in a cold holding pen, along with a group of Colombian, Chinese, and Mexican detainees. My luggage, phone, and passport were confiscated.' He and most of the band were sent back to the U.K., Gibbs said, for having an incorrect visa. But he wondered if other factors contributed. 'I can't help but wonder whether my frequent, and less than flattering, public comments regarding their president and his administration played a role,' he wrote. 'Or perhaps I'm simply succumbing to paranoia.' Whatever happened with Gibbs' visa, as Coachella season ramps up, international artists are triple-checking any possible snags before performing in the U.S. It's never been easy or cheap for global acts to tour here, but visa fees are up and wait times have risen substantially over the last year. Under the new Trump administration, anecdotal stories of foreign tourists, scientists and activists being denied entry or taken into federal custody have rattled outspoken acts. It's too soon to know how policy shifts may affect the live music market in the U.S. But behind the scenes, artists are calling their lawyers. 'We haven't seen many problems just yet,' said Matthew Covey, the executive director of Tamizdat, a New York nonprofit that helps global artists secure performance and residence visas. 'But it's hard to say everything is fine, because it's not. They have reason to worry. You take an already difficult touring atmosphere, add now a layer of political fear. There's a risk of artists looking to other markets instead of the U.S.' While the incoming Trump administration has dominated headlines about the border, challenges with touring and residency visas escalated under the Biden administration too. In January 2023, the government proposed large fee hikes for artists pursuing O and P visas to live or perform in the U.S. The fee increases were reduced for arts nonprofits and small businesses, but now cost between $510 and $2,805 per applicant, depending on the type and speed of the visa. A bigger problem, insiders say, came in 2023 after the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services rerouted all artist visa applications through a Texas central office, and onto facilities in either Vermont or California. According to USCIS, the Vermont facility processes most applications in two and a half months. Yet the California office takes around nine months — a huge obstacle requiring thousands in extra fees to expedite them. 'People going through that process look at that and say, 'I don't know if I have $6,000 for this,'' Covey said. 'If your tour is already on a knife's edge, you might decide it's not worth it.' A spokesperson for USCIS declined an interview request. Other challenges for acts touring the States include inflation and — for now — a strong U.S. dollar. 'There's fatigue related to the significant increase in costs and expediting costs. Legal fees and government fees are just a slice of that,' Covey said. 'The exchange rate is brutal for anyone not making a lot of money on tours. If you look at international bookings at major festivals, they've been declining. I fear that trend will increase substantially.' Several top international acts at Coachella, and the booking agencies representing them, declined to talk about any visa concerns. One executive at a prominent booking agency, who spoke on background for fear of retaliation, said that 'the visa process for artists has always been a mess, and it's gotten more messy recently. If the guy opening up your application is having a bad day, they can do whatever they want. If they look at a band on an artistic level and say, 'This isn't good,' you can be denied. If two bands are identical in every regard, same label and promoter, same booking agency, making the same money and paying the same taxes, it's a coin toss. 'I just did visas for a Coachella band and it was $8,000,' they continued. 'It's becoming a huge financial hurdle because it takes so long through regular channels, you have to go for the heavy-duty expediting.' The U.S. remains one of the most important touring markets, especially for its internationally-renowned festivals like Coachella, which has a global fanbase and brings top acts from Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa. 'It's still the biggest market in world. People don't want to close the door to the U.S.,' said Lorraine D'Alessio, founder of the Beverly Hills firm D'Alessio Law, which specializes in immigration to the U.S. with an emphasis on the entertainment industry. 'There's a lot of money here, and the entertainment capitals haven't changed. Hollywood, Atlanta and Nashville are pockets of incredible exposure.' The booking executive agreed that 'uncertainty hasn't changed the ways we think about clients. We're not going to not sign a group from Turkey because visas are annoying.' However, recent high-profile incidents of foreign tourists, students and legal residents being taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities have frightened many in music, especially those who have criticized the Trump administration or supported Palestine. Tamizdat said, in guidance to artists applying for visas, that President Trump's executive order 'Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and other National Security and Public Safety Threats' was 'chilling,' and 'could be used to deny entry to the U.S. based on alarmingly expansive, politicized, and subjective criteria. This could certainly be used to exclude artists that are perceived to be 'dangerous.'' Covey said that, so far, they see any politically-driven chill as more a worry than a reality just yet.'We've seen artists say lots of things on social media who got visas, trans artists getting visas without a problem,' he said. 'But it's not that agents and labels and artists don't have a right to be concerned.' 'The fact that an artist hasn't been disappeared yet is good,' Covey said, pausing with the gravity of that. 'But I'm not going to tell artists they're fine.' The famously outspoken Neil Young wrote on his website recently, 'When I go to play music in Europe, if I talk about Donald J. Trump, I may be one of those returning to America who is barred or put in jail to sleep on a cement floor with an aluminum blanket. That is happening all the time now.' The influential U.K. trans electronic artist Aya told Pitchfork that 'I'm not coming to the U.S. until anything changes ... I don't want to chance paying eight or 10 grand for a visa and then get turned away at the border because my passport doesn't line up with what they see.' 'There's an uncertainty in the air,' the booking executive agreed. 'So many artists are very outspoken online, and you're putting yourself in a position where anything can happen. When you come to the border, they're looking at your profiles. If any flags are raised, you could be in a dangerous position.' What impacts could this have on this summer's festival season and beyond? This month, the State Department revoked visas for a Mexican band, Los Alegres del Barranco, for portraying 'images glorifying drug kingpin 'El Mencho' — head of the grotesquely violent CJNG cartel,' Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote on X. Last week, the British artist FKA Twigs, who hasn't performed in the U.S. since 2019, canceled her much-anticipated North American tour just days before her Coachella dates. 'I'm devastated to share the news that due to ongoing visa issues I am not able to see through any of my scheduled tour dates for the remainder of April across North America,' she said on Instagram. 'I know this impacts so many of you that have already made plans and spent money in order to see these shows.' More artists like her might suddenly learn that what had been an expensive, time-consuming formality to get a visa is now an insurmountable obstacle for a long-planned tour. Global acts — especially emerging or politically outspoken artists — might decide it's not worth the expense or risk. Others may cut back on dates to reduce border crossings. 'When we do North American routing for international acts, that often includes border crossings at Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal,' the booking executive said. 'Right now I might say, 'We don't rock the boat, let's not go to Toronto and Montreal.' Even if you're 100% aboveboard, this uncertainty is a piece we can't control.' Given the Canadian Independent Music Association's boycott of the South by Southwest Film and TV Festival, other countries might decide the U.S. needs a taste of its own policies. 'We really have no idea what the context and climate is going to be mid-March, and it made it difficult for me to kind of want to step confidently forward,' CIMA Chief Executive Andrew Cash said in a February statement announcing the cancellation of its long-running Canada House showcase in Austin. 'We don't know what is coming down the chute.' Others are skeptical of a boycott. 'It's too soon to say if there would be a larger, coordinated 'we're not going to the U.S.' action,' the booking executive said. 'The gears of capitalism are such that it's unlikely. There are too many brass rings here in the music world, and when push comes to shove, people just deal with it.' President Trump's proposed travel bans or increased scrutiny on 40 countries may have some effect but are not yet in place. Covey said he didn't expect other countries to retaliate against American artists touring abroad. 'It's hard to single out artists from one country for a retaliatory immigration code,' he said. 'Most countries realize that punishing artists is not going to get them far.' Any impacts on touring will probably be felt in an added pall on what looks to be a shaky summer tour climate, where acts as big as Beyoncé and Linkin Park have slashed ticket prices on stadium shows that have not yet sold out. Other major Los Angeles events like the upcoming Summer Olympics and World Cup could face similar challenges. D'Alessio said that the process is still worth it. 'We've been telling clients they need to get their stuff in order, and some need a kick in the pants to get their act together,' she said. 'I'm an immigrant. We have to follow the rules, and they're getting enforced now. But those who decide to close the door are not making the right call. The U.S. is still the epicenter of the music industry.' The booking executive did have one grim piece of advice, though. 'I'm not posting anything,' they said. 'In the outrage economy, even the most innocuous things can gather steam. You can't risk it. If you get popped and your passport's flagged, no one has any control on our end. You're done.'
USA Today
30-03-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
What happens if you are denied entry to the US
What happens if you are denied entry to the US Show Caption Hide Caption Can a border patrol officer look through your phone and other devices? U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers can go through your phone, including any deleted items on the device. Travelers may be denied entry to the U.S. for a variety of reasons, including health concerns, criminal history and security risks. Non-citizens who are denied entry to the U.S. may be sent back to their point of origin, detained for further screening or, in some cases, granted asylum. Travelers who are denied entry to the U.S. have limited legal recourse, but may be able to reapply for a visa or seek an ineligibility waiver. Nearly 1 million people enter the U.S. each day, according to U.S. Customs and Border Control. Very few travelers are turned away, but recent reports of cellphone searches at airports and tourists and visa holders being detained, deported or denied entry have some concerned. Last week, the French Education Ministry said a French scientist was purportedly denied entry to the U.S. after expressing a personal opinion on the Trump administration's research policy. And on Facebook, Alvin Gibbs, bassist for British punk band U.K. Subs, said he and two bandmates were denied entry to the U.S. for not having the right visa and an undisclosed issue, which he presumed to be past criticism of the president. When asked about the French scientist, U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson Hilton Beckham told Reuters, 'Claims that such decisions are politically motivated are completely unfounded.' Here's what travelers should know about entering the U.S. US citizens getting pulled aside: Travelers fear scrutiny at the border is rising What is required to enter the United States? That depends on your legal status. All U.S. citizens must present a U.S. passport before boarding international flights leaving from or heading to the U.S., according to a Customs and Border Protection FAQ. That includes babies and children. CBP says a NEXUS Card is also acceptable for U.S. citizens departing from designated Canadian airports. U.S. citizens arriving by land or sea are required to provide Western Hemisphere Travel initiative-approved identification, such as: A U.S. passport or passport card Enhanced driver's license Enhanced tribal card Trusted Traveler Program cards like Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI Other types of documentation are accepted for U.S. military and accompanying immediate family members traveling on military orders and U.S. Merchant Mariners. Even where alternate identification is allowed, it doesn't hurt to also carry a valid passport. U.S. permanent residents need to show a valid green card or permanent resident card to reenter the U.S. after traveling abroad, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Its website goes on to say, 'When arriving at a port of entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer will review your permanent resident card and any other identity documents you present, such as a passport, foreign national I.D. card or U.S. Driver's License, and determine if you can enter the United States.' Visa holders and other foreign nationals have different requirements depending on their visa status and country. Do I need a travel visa for the US? U.S. citizens and permanent residents do not need a visa to reenter the U.S. after traveling abroad. Citizens of Canada and Bermuda generally don't need a visa either, according to the State Department. Additionally, more than 40 countries are part of the Visa Waiver Program, including France, Japan and Australia, as well as Taiwan, which the U.S. doesn't formally recognize as a country. 'Most citizens or nationals' of these places may visit the U.S. for up to 90 days of visa-free work or travel, as long as they have Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approval, according to the State Department. However, a visa will be required for travelers who have been to Cuba since Jan. 12, 2021, or the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen since March 1, 2011. Can a US citizen be denied entry at the border? The American Civil Liberties Union says U.S. citizens have the right to enter the country, and lawful permanent residents 'generally cannot be denied entry to the United States,' but they may be detained or subject to further inspection for refusing to answer border officers' questions. Border Control can check your phone. Here's what travelers should know. What makes you ineligible to enter the US? 'If you are anything but a U.S. citizen, there are eight or nine grounds to keep you out when you're trying to come in,' said Fernando Chang-Muy, Thomas O'Boyle Lecturer in Law at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. 'They are found in section 212 (a) of the immigration law." The reasons could be like health-related grounds and the clause reads you will be found inadmissible and you cannot come in if you have a disease of public health significance, like tuberculosis, etc. We're not going to let you in if we know that you have a criminal issue. We're not going to let you in if you have security or related issues, you're a member of al Qaeda (for example). We're not going to let you in if we know that you're poor and you might go to the welfare office to apply for food stamps and cash and medical assistance – which, by the way, you're not going to get because when you go to the food stamp office, they're going to ask for proof that you are here with documents. We're not going to let you in if we think you're going to work illegally. We're not going to let you in if you have no paper, no passport and no visa, etc. So there's a whole bunch of reasons that the U.S. uses to keep you out if you're not a U.S. citizen. Fernando Chang-Muy, Thomas O'Boyle Lecturer in Law at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School He said lawful permanent U.S. residents may also be stopped if they leave the country for more than six months. 'They will ask you upon returning, 'Why have you been in (say) Hong Kong for seven months? Don't you want to be a lawful permanent resident? You have a green card,'' he said. Travelers can explain any extenuating circumstances, like needing to care for a sick relative, but entry is not guaranteed. The Trump administration also seeks to ban or heavily restrict travel from more than a dozen nations, including Bhutan, Iran and Venezuela, to protect Americans from 'aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes,' according to a presidential action issued in January. What happens if you are denied entry? Chang-Muy shared three scenarios for noncitizens. 'One is you're put back on the plane and sent back, and there, the carrier has to pay for you,' he said. A second option is being sent to secondary screening. ''I see there's a little bit of blood on your blouse. Have you been coughing blood? Might you have TB?'' he shared as an example. 'And so you go to this room, and they could check you out for TB.' A third option is being detained for various reasons, including traveling with false documents or being a perceived security threat. What to do if your travel authorization is denied There are not a lot of immediate options for non-U.S. citizens who are denied entry. 'If a permanent resident is denied entry, a reason has to be given,' Chang-Muy said, adding that they may seek legal counsel for help. 'There are nonprofits that provide immigration support all around the country, and there are private immigration attorneys as well.' Foreign nationals fearing persecution in their home countries could seek asylum upon arriving in the U.S. But, he said, 'now things are changing, even as we speak, and even if you say the magic words, I have a well-founded fear of persecution, you might be expeditiously removed.' In the case of visa denials, he said, 'typically consular officials have discretion to grant or deny a visa, and typically there's no review, and it's called the non-reviewability process of people who apply for a visa.' 'The reason is, if you're outside of the U.S., trying to come in, the principles of due process – telling your story before some tribunal, filing a lawsuit – that does not apply." Hopeful travelers may, however, reapply for a visa down the line or apply for an ineligibility waiver. Contributing: Reuters
