A group of Methodist bishops was wrong to accuse immigration officials of racism for denying visas to 25 foreign delegates to a church conference in Pittsburgh, a State Department official said Thursday.
Retired United Methodist Bishop Marshall Meadors said U.S. immigration policies are "racist and unjust" after Filipino and African delegates were denied nonimmigrant visas to attend the conference. Meadors, who is white, was joined by two black bishops and one bishop from the Philippines in criticizing the decision.
But Stewart Patt, spokesman for the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs, said U.S. policy dictates that people seeking nonimmigrant visas must demonstrate strong ties to their home country.
He said those ties include family, property or a job — indicators that that visitors will return to their home countries after their stay.
"The fact that these are people of color is absolutely, completely irrelevant, but the question of their economic means may not be irrelevant," Patt said.
Meadors said that 42 foreign delegates were denied visas to attend the worldwide General Conference, which is held once every four years.
Some alternate delegates were granted visas and some delegates got visas after applying a second time, but 25 delegates — all nonwhites from poorer countries — still can't attend the conference which runs through May 7 in Pittsburgh.