This past week, Cygames Inc., the organizer of the “Umamusume: Pretty Derby — 7th Event World Tour: The Stage in Los Angeles” had to cancel the concert after failing to obtain visas for workers to enter the United States. The concert was intended to have the voice actors of different Umamusume sing and perform in character. The organizers attempted to get the necessary visas but were unable to before the preset date and decided to cancel the concert and refund tickets. This comes at a time when many international workers and students find it difficult to obtain visas for any purpose. So that brings up the question, “When does America’s red tape become too much?”
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have a backlog of nearly 12.1 million pending cases for visas, despite receiving fewer filings this year. This 12.1 million is a 7.2% increase from last year. These fewer filings can be attributed to the increased pressure from the Trump administration to restrict immigration. So, something isn’t adding up: less filings but a larger backlog. That is because the policies that make immigration harder also prolong the review period for the USCIS.
The USCIS isn’t the only place feeling the pinch of the administration; higher education institutions and international students have been under fire since 2025. The latest is the Trump administration’s probe into the J-1 visa program, which allows international students to attend U.S. institutions. The administration states that universities and higher education institutions are committing visa fraud and undermining US students. Many institutions argue that they have filed all necessary papers and vetted all candidates in accordance with the J-1 visa regulations. Institutions also say that it is important to keep the J-1 visas open because of the value of a global effort to focus on science, along with the arts, history and many other fields of study.
The backlog can also be thanks to the period of pauses of applications this past August which ended in late September. The State Department paused all immigrant visa applications while floating the idea of rejecting applications based on if the recipient would be a drain on public services. This idea would add yet another step to the visa application, slowing down the process of obtaining visas for immigration, business or tourism.
These restrictions hurt the American economy, especially in places that receive a high number of tourists. These restrictions also cause headaches for travelers who must begin applying for visas months ahead, then book hotels, activities, travel and much more without knowing if their visas will be ready by the date they need them.
The restrictions also impact the economy by driving away foreign business. It would make no sense for a business to expand to the U.S. if this administration is restricting and revoking visas. Why would an international business expand to or meet in the U.S. if they have to wait six months or more just to be able to travel? Why would a company put their non-U.S. citizen workers at risk just to be in America? These are the questions that make companies cut out the common denominator, the U.S. The U.S. should strive to be attractive to both businesses and tourists. That starts with cutting that red tape and not allowing politicians to weaponize bureaucracy to slow immigration. This policy might slow immigration short-term, but it damages all visa applications in the long run.
Immigrants, tourists, businesses or even Umamusumes should not have to jump through hoops and bend over backwards just to be able to touch the soil of the U.S. If the U.S. won’t even let in anime horse girls, how far will this administration take it? Today, it is the voice of Rice Shower, tomorrow it might be the entire world.
American bureaucracy will always be a hassle, but it doesn’t need to be this impassable wall. It should be used to vet, not to further a political agenda. So, the Trump administration might hate Umamusumes but, I say “neigh” to bureaucracy for political gain.