US visa scrutiny forces Palestinian artist to delay North American tour
Saint Levant has postponed his debut North American tour until spring 2027 after his approved visa was subjected to additional background checks, a move critics link to broader immigration restrictions under the Trump administration.
Palestinian singer-songwriter Marwan Abdelhamid, known professionally as Saint Levant, has postponed his debut North American tour until spring 2027. The decision follows what Abdelhamid described as "major US visa issues," with the artist noting that although his visa was initially approved, he was unexpectedly asked to undergo additional background checks as his tour dates approached.
In a statement posted on Instagram on Tuesday, Abdelhamid explained that the postponement was made after consultations with his legal team and peers who had faced similar hurdles. The 41-date tour, intended to promote his second album, AFANDI, was scheduled to include stops in Los Angeles, Brooklyn, and Detroit. The rescheduling is described as being done in the hope that the visa process will be completed by the new timeframe.
The delay is part of a wider trend of international artists cancelling or rescheduling US events amid tighter immigration restrictions. Since assuming office for a second term, US President Donald Trump has implemented multiple measures to limit entry for foreign nationals, including the suspension of visa processing for nationals from 75 countries.
While US District Judge Jeannette Vargas recently struck down the 75-country visa suspension policy as unlawful, finding it exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s mandate, the administration has continued to revoke visas from successful applicants. Following the court decision in August, the US also paused visa appointments globally to allow for "in-depth training" at consular offices.
Other musical acts have been similarly affected by these policy shifts. The Tuareg-led band Tinariwen, whose members are from Mali—a country on the visa ban list—cancelled its tour dates, while Mexican singer Diego Millan, known as Calle 24, announced the cancellation of his US performances due to the unexpected revocation of his work visa.
Critics argue that US immigration policies are increasingly being used to discriminate against pro-Palestinian voices. Under an executive order signed on the first day of Trump’s second term, the administration sought to restrict visas for those who "espouse hateful ideology." Rubio has subsequently drawn on the Immigration and Nationality Act to deport individuals he claims would cause "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences," a move a judge recently called a violation of free speech rights.
