Fortress America Leaves the Music on Hold

Global pop music may travel at the speed of a digital stream, but international touring remains firmly anchored to the slow machinery of border control. The latest cultural casualty of Washington’s heightened vetting is Marwan Abdelhamid, the Jerusalem-born artist performing as Saint Levant. Having initially secured visa approval for a headline tour across North America, the musician suddenly found himself grounded when federal authorities demanded unexpected additional background checks.

Faced with impending concert dates in Los Angeles, Brooklyn, and Detroit, Abdelhamid chose to postpone the North American segment of his 41-date tour until spring 2027. The project was meant to showcase his second album, AFANDI, drawing on a blend of heritage stemming from a French-Algerian mother and a Serbian-Palestinian father. Instead, the multi-city run joins a growing list of international performances derailed by tightening American entry policies.

The incident reflects a broader trend under President Donald Trump’s second term. Washington recently moved to suspend visa processing for nationals from 75 countries, including Mali, Senegal, Brazil, and Thailand. Although US District Judge Jeannette Vargas invalidated the broad suspension, ruling that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had exceeded his legal mandate, administrative friction has hardly dissipated. Global consular appointments were subsequently paused for internal training, and authorities have moved to revoke existing visas.

The repercussions across the entertainment industry are increasingly visible. The Tuareg musical group Tinariwen cancelled its American dates because key members hold Malian passports. Mexican performer Diego Millan, known as Calle 24, likewise scrapped his US tour following an unexpected visa revocation. Outside the arts, high-profile visa withdrawals have targeted pro-Palestinian figures, including former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil and members of the Palestinian Authority.

While Secretary Rubio has cited statutory provisions to exclude individuals who might cause adverse foreign policy consequences, federal judges have begun questioning the constitutionality of using entry controls to limit speech. Yet, regardless of ongoing courtroom battles, foreign performers are left reckoning with steep legal fees, bureaucratic delays, and unpredictable schedules. For now, the tour bus remains parked at the border.

Written by Martina Kirchner martina.kirchner@alpineweekly.com