Rowley made the request in a Facebook post while challenging previous calls by Persad-Bissessar and others for the U.S. visas of Rowley and former Prime Minister Stuart Young to be canceled. He also questioned the grounds for any such requests, pointing to an Aug. 10 U.S. State Department statement outlining circumstances that can result in visa revocation, including violations of visa terms, criminal activity, fraud, immigration violations and conduct considered a threat to national security. Rowley further asked whether other citizens had been referred to U.S. authorities and how many such cases involved government recommendations.

The dispute follows an earlier controversy involving Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander, who was reported in November 2025 to have contacted the U.S. Embassy seeking assistance with visa action against Trinidad and Tobago citizens accused of spreading defamatory, inflammatory or misleading information about joint security operations. The U.S. Embassy subsequently said visa decisions are made by the U.S. government and that no foreign government is involved in visa approvals, denials or revocations. The embassy also said visas are not revoked for exercising freedom of expression, while noting that criminal activity can be grounds for action. Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar has denied that her government was involved in the revocation of a U.S. visa held by activist Gary Aboud.

U.S. visa revocations are at the center of a political dispute in Trinidad and Tobago over whether government officials have referred citizens to American authorities.