“I haven’t had a visa since I was twelve,” was how journalist and activist Arlín Medrano responded to former U.S. ambassador to Mexico Christopher Landau, known as “El Quitavisas,” after he announced the cancellation of her U.S. visa following the young Mexican woman’s criticism of the Donald Trump administration and its support for Israel.
Arlín Medrano stated that the measure announced by the former diplomat was belated and symbolic, as she hasn’t had a visa since her childhood, when she was deported after living as an undocumented migrant in the United States.
“Don’t worry. Maybe if you had the opportunity to investigate, you would know you arrived late. I don’t have a visa: I was a migrant child deported at twelve, treated as a criminal for the ‘crime’ of going to school in the United States. For consistency, I have never applied for one as an adult,” she expressed on social media.
In another part of her message, she pointed out that Christopher Landau’s statements reflect the inconsistency of US foreign policy and reiterated her support for both the Palestinian people and the migrant community. “If telling the truth prevents me from entering your country, I wear it like a badge of honor. I stand by every word and also my solidarity with the Palestinian people and migrants, both criminalized for existing and resisting.”
The activist recalled that she was labeled a “terrorist” by the Israeli army while participating in a humanitarian mission in the Gaza Strip as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
