Venezuelan Baseball Team denied entry into US

wing2000 · Saturday at 7:44 AM

Gr8Grace said:
Trump is a rockstar. The USA has been giving the benefit of the doubt to all foreign nations for far too long.

Seems to me that most Americans have long forgotten that many foreign nations will use any means available to KILL US.

The Kids are innocent, but what about the adults that come with them?

Vet everything and everyone.

I almost feel sorry for you if you really believe that.

Hans Blaster · Saturday at 8:52 AM

ThatRobGuy said:
Since Venezuela is listed as a "country of concern", that means no entry.

And who made that designation?

ThatRobGuy · Saturday at 4:56 PM

wing2000 said:
And?
What is the threat? For decades, atheletes from these countries have attended sporting events in the United States. What security issues have occurred?

The potential threat is that someone could be coming under false documentation.

Or, they (or the people traveling with them) will immediately apply for asylum once they're here, adding to the clogging of an already-clogged system.

wing2000 · Sunday at 3:01 PM

ThatRobGuy said:
The potential threat is that someone could be coming under false documentation.

Or, they (or the people traveling with them) will immediately apply for asylum once they're here, adding to the clogging of an already-clogged system.

....threats which haave always existed.

If the US government is incapable of screening a youth baseball team, how will it handle thousands of athletes arriving for the World Cup next year? Or the Olympics thereafter?

ThatRobGuy · Sunday at 4:34 PM

wing2000 said:
....threats which haave always existed.

If the US government is incapable of screening a youth baseball team, how will it handle thousands of athletes arriving for the World Cup next year? Or the Olympics thereafter?

The "Olympic Village" concept is a surprisingly very tightly controlled environment.

Only accredited athletes, coaches, officials, and staff are allowed in. (all of which are issued RFID chipped cards)

There's a tight perimeter with 24x7 surveillance and the aforementioned chip cards are required at all entry/exit points. And foreign nationals from "countries of concern" and their delegation are accompanied by an official (often a local PD member or national guardsman) if they need to leave the village for something like an interview or special appearance.

The Olympic Village projects cost a staggering $1.2 - $2 Billion USD (between the housing, dining halls, surveillance, security, venues, etc...)

All that being said, is that the kind of time and investment we want to do for Little League baseball tournaments?

AV1611VET · Sunday at 9:40 PM

GoldenBoy89 said:
Treating innocent kids as if they are a national security threat is shameful.

The law is the law.

If you were one of those kids, who would you blame?

The United States or Venezuela?

Nithavela · Sunday at 10:43 PM

Gr8Grace said:
Trump is a rockstar. The USA has been giving the benefit of the doubt to all foreign nations for far too long.

Seems to me that most Americans have long forgotten that many foreign nations will use any means available to KILL US.

The Kids are innocent, but what about the adults that come with them?

Vet everything and everyone.

Why vet? Just shoot first, ask questions never. Everyone is trying to kill you!

GoldenBoy89 · Monday at 8:27 AM

AV1611VET said:
The law is the law.

If you were one of those kids, who would you blame?

The United States or Venezuela?

The United States. They were allowed to play baseball in Venezuela, not in the United States. It’s the US with the dumb prejudiced policy here.

AV1611VET · Monday at 9:27 AM

GoldenBoy89 said:
The United States.

Then I feel sorry for you.

GoldenBoy89 said:
They were allowed to play baseball in Venezuela, not in the United States.

Who were?

GoldenBoy89 said:
It’s the US with the dumb prejudiced policy here.

I see.

From AI Overview:

The Alien Enemies Act is a U.S. law, passed in 1798, that allows the President to detain or deport citizens of an enemy nation during times of war or invasion.

So, according to you, that makes everyone in Venezuela a "national security threat"?

Can't we err on the side of caution?

Which is easier? keep all Venezuelans out? or start vetting every Venezuelan that wants to come into the country and hope no one has any fake documents?

Nithavela · Monday at 10:04 AM

AV1611VET said:
Then I feel sorry for you.

Who were?

I see.

From AI Overview:

The Alien Enemies Act is a U.S. law, passed in 1798, that allows the President to detain or deport citizens of an enemy nation during times of war or invasion.

So, according to you, that makes everyone in Venezuela a "national security threat"?

Can't we err on the side of caution?

Which is easier? keep all Venezuelans out? or start vetting every Venezuelan that wants to come into the country and hope no one has any fake documents?

I think that anyone who believes they are being invaded by or at war with Venezuela should book a vacation in Ukraine to observe what a real war/invasion feels like. No need to go to the front lines, either, any bigger city will do.

wing2000 · Monday at 10:29 AM

ThatRobGuy said:
All that being said, is that the kind of time and investment we want to do for Little League baseball tournaments?

It's not necssary as a little league tournament doesn't have the same security risk has an Olympic event.

AV1611VET · Monday at 10:32 AM

Nithavela said:
I think that anyone who believes they are being invaded by or at war with Venezuela should book a vacation in Ukraine to observe what a real war/invasion feels like. No need to go to the front lines, either, any bigger city will do.

Just FYI:

The United States is the largest single donor for the humanitarian response to the Venezuela regional crisis, providing assistance that supports refugees, asylum seekers, and other vulnerable populations of concern. More than 7.7 million people inside Venezuela need immediate humanitarian assistance and more than 6 million Venezuelans have been displaced in 17 countries across the region since 2015.

SOURCE

wing2000 · Monday at 10:40 AM

AV1611VET said:
Which is easier? keep all Venezuelans out? or start vetting every Venezuelan that wants to come into the country and hope no one has any fake documents?

The topic is denying visas for one baseball team from Venezuela.

Nithavela · Monday at 10:41 AM

AV1611VET said:
Just FYI:

The United States is the largest single donor for the humanitarian response to the Venezuela regional crisis, providing assistance that supports refugees, asylum seekers, and other vulnerable populations of concern. More than 7.7 million people inside Venezuela need immediate humanitarian assistance and more than 6 million Venezuelans have been displaced in 17 countries across the region since 2015.

SOURCE

Fascinating. Noting the date of the article in your link and the cuts in USAID of the last few months, do you have any current numbers?

Symptomatically, the "latest fact sheet" in the linked article, hosted on the USAID website, appears to be offline, like the rest of that website.

wing2000 · Monday at 10:45 AM

The official response from the US State Dempartment - as of 25 July: (in any case, it's too late for the team as the tournament already occured. A team from Mexico was sent in their place. I guess teams from Mexico are not as "threatening."

"Our consular officers are currently working to review the case to confirm proper procedures were followed and necessary appeals were submitted by the visa applicants," a spokesperson said.

https://www.reuters.com/sports/us-reviewing-visa-denial-venezuelan-little-league-players-state-department-says-2025-07-26/

AV1611VET · Monday at 10:56 AM

wing2000 said:
The topic is denying visas for one baseball team from Venezuela.

I have a feeling that is SOP under the current law.

I'm sure the United States would deny visas for two or more baseball teams from Venezuela as well.

To enact such a law, then allow baseball teams -- (or anyone) -- in would be ... well ... breaking the law.

wing2000 · Monday at 11:00 AM

AV1611VET said:
I have a feeling that is SOP under the current law.

I'm sure the United States would deny visas for two or more baseball teams from Venezuela as well.

To enact such a law, then allow baseball teams -- (or anyone) -- in would be ... well ... breaking the law.

There are exemptions in the order for "major sporting events". In any case, the Consular office could have easily raised this case for review with their superiors...and maybe they did...though we will never know.

At the time, the State Department said Trump’s executive order contains exemptions for nationals who would enter the U.S. as athletes for major sporting events, as well as support staff and immediate relatives of athletes. However, there are no such assurances for fans, raising many questions ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Venezuelan youth baseball team denied travel visas to U.S. for tournament

Cacique Mara, the Venezuelan team, was replaced by a team from Mexico after having its visa requests denied.

www.nytimes.com

AV1611VET · Monday at 11:09 AM

wing2000 said:
There are exemptions in the order for "major sporting events". In any case, the Consular office could have easily raised this case for review with their superiors...and maybe they did...though we will never know.

And that tells me that there is something the current administration knows that academia does not know.

So I'm not sure what this thread is all about.

The United States invokes a law that is on the books, and academia starts whining (as usual) that said law should make exceptions that academia feels should be made?

Since when does the United States of America invoke a blacklist, then allow our colleges and universities to demand exemptions?

What's next? tennis? volleyball? their boy scouts? au pairs?

wing2000 · Monday at 11:45 AM

AV1611VET said:
And that tells me that there is something the current administration knows that academia does not know.

So I'm not sure what this thread is all about.

The United States invokes a law that is on the books, and academia starts whining (as usual) that said law should make exceptions that academia feels should be made?

Since when does the United States of America invoke a blacklist, then allow our colleges and universities to demand exemptions?

What's next? tennis? volleyball? their boy scouts? au pairs?

The president issued an order -- an order that he can revise at any time.

I can understand stepping up US Visa screenings for certain countries. But it defies common sense to deny a youth baseball team entry into the US.

AV1611VET · Monday at 1:05 PM

wing2000 said:
The president issued an order -- an order that he can revise at any time.

I can understand stepping up US Visa screenings for certain countries. But it defies common sense to deny a youth baseball team entry into the US.

They are the experts ... not we.

They could be operating on a NEED TO KNOW basis.

Venezuelan Baseball Team denied entry into US

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you're in charge you can do it just get louis

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