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Jeffries Secures Visa Waiver for Mother Visiting Son

6/17/2026

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Summary

Jeffries Secures Visa

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) secured a visa for Ana Candida Evora to travel to the United States to see her son.
Jeffries asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to waive all visa fees for Evora.
The State Department confirmed that immediate relatives of players are exempt from the $15,000 visa-bond rule.
Evora will travel to Miami to join her son for Sunday’s match against Uruguay.

Summary

US Denies Visas

The United States denied a visa to Somalia referee Omar Artan, barring him from World Cup matches.
Iranian staff also failed to secure U.S. visas, so the team moved its base to Mexico.
Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly condemned the bans that kept African officials and fans from the tournament.
Cape Verde federation president Mario Semedo said high travel costs further limit fans’ ability to attend the World Cup.

History

Historical Context

During the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States (June 17–July 17, 1994), the event’s scale—record attendance of 3,587,538—forced the State Department to handle massive visa processing for foreign athletes and officials. Decades later, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and FIFA leaders such as Kalidou Koulibaly cite that precedent while urging clearer immigration rules for upcoming tournaments.

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Jeffries Secures Visa

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) secured a visa for Ana Candida Evora to travel to the United States to see her son.
Jeffries asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to waive all visa fees for Evora.
The State Department confirmed that immediate relatives of players are exempt from the $15,000 visa-bond rule.
Evora will travel to Miami to join her son for Sunday’s match against Uruguay.

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