By MATTHEW LEE, AP Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department is proposing requiring applicants for business and tourist visas to post a bond of up to $15,000 to enter the United States, a move that may make the process unaffordable for many.

In a notice to be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, the department said it would start a 12-month pilot program under which people from countries deemed to have high overstay rates and deficient internal document security controls could be required to post bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 when they apply for a visa.

The proposal comes as the Trump administration is tightening requirements for visa applicants. Last week, the State Department announced that many visa renewal applicants would have to submit to an additional in-person interview, something that was not required in the past. In addition, the department is proposing that applicants for the Visa Diversity Lottery program have valid passports from their country of citizenship.

A preview of the bond notice, which was posted on the Federal Register website on Monday, said the pilot program would take effect within 15 days of its formal publication and is necessary to ensure that the U.S. government is not financially liable if a visitor does not comply with the terms of his or her visa.

“Aliens applying for visas as temporary visitors for business or pleasure and who are nationals of countries identified by the department as having high visa overstay rates, where screening and vetting information is deemed deficient, or offering citizenship by investment, if the alien obtained citizenship with no residency requirement, may be subject to the pilot program,” the notice said.

The countries affected will be listed once the program takes effect, it said.

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The bond would not apply to citizens of countries enrolled in the Visa Waiver Program and could be waived for others depending on an applicant’s individual circumstances.

Visa bonds have been proposed in the past but have not been implemented. The State Department has traditionally discouraged the requirement because of the cumbersome process of posting and discharging a bond and because of a possible misperceptions by the public.

However, the department said that previous view “is not supported by any recent examples or evidence, as visa bonds have not generally been required in any recent period.”

By CALEIGH WELLS

When wildfires burn, the smoke can travel long distances and degrade air quality far away, which presents risks for those breathing it.

Fires burning in one state can make air worse several states away, and wildfires in Canada can send smoke into U.S. cities.

Here’s what to know about taking precautions against poor air quality due to wildfires.

What counts as bad air?

The EPA’s Air Quality Index converts all pollutant levels into a single number. The lower the number, the better.

Anything below 50 is classified as “healthy.” Fifty to 100 is “moderate” while 100-150 is unhealthy for “sensitive groups,” and anything above 150 is bad for everyone.

Sensitive groups include people with asthma, lung disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, said Dr. Sanjay Sethi, chief of the division of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at the University of Buffalo’s medical school.

“If you have heart or lung problems, then you’ve got to be definitely more careful,” Sethi said. “I would either avoid going outside or wear an N95 (mask) or at least a dust mask.”

Is my air unhealthy?

Sometimes the air is bad enough to see or smell the smoke. Even if you don’t see the pollution, it can be unhealthy to breathe.

The EPA maintains a website with up-to-date, regional air quality information. PurpleAir, a company that sells air quality sensors and publishes real-time air quality data, has a citizen scientist, air quality monitoring network with a more granular map of street-by-street air quality readings.

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The best way to get indoor air quality readings is to buy a monitor, said Joseph Allen, director of Harvard University’s Healthy Buildings Program.

“You can find these low-cost, indoor air quality monitors just about everywhere online now. They don’t cost all that much anymore,” he said.

What if I have to go outside?

For most people, going outside for just a short time won’t have a negative long-term impact, said Sethi.

Wearing an N95 mask, which became common during the coronavirus pandemic, will help filter out the pollution.

“N95 is going to get rid of 90-95% of the particles,” said Jennifer Stowell, a research scientist at Boston University’s Center for Climate and Health. “If you have access to a mask that has a respirator-type attachment to it, then that’s the very best.”

If you must be outside and you experience symptoms, experts say you should head indoors or somewhere else with better air quality. Even if you are healthy, it’s good to take precautions.

“If you start wheezing, which is like this whistling sound of the chest, or if you’re feeling short of breath, that’s definitely more concerning,” Sethi said.

How do I make my air cleaner?

Close the windows and turn on the air conditioner, if you have one, setting it to circulate the indoor air. Use blankets to cover cracks that allow outside air into your home, such as under doors.

Finally, swapping the air conditioner’s filter for a MERV 13 filter can help, though you should make sure it’s installed correctly.

“If you happen to have access to an air purifier, even if it’s just a room air purifier, try to keep it running and in the room that you’re doing most of your activities in,” said Stowell.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

City Limits rounds up the latest housing and land use-related events, public hearings and affordable housing lotteries that are ending soon.

The City Council’s Land Use Committee will meet this week on the city’s rezoning plan for Midtown South. (Dept. of City Planning)

Welcome to City Limits’ NYC Housing Calendar, a weekly feature where we round up the latest housing and land use-related events and hearings, as well as upcoming affordable housing lotteries that are ending soon.

Know of an event we should include in next week’s calendar? Email us.

Upcoming Housing and Land Use-Related Events:

Tuesday, August. 5 at 6 p.m.: The Public Housing Preservation Trust will hold a public hearing regarding the lease package for all NYCHA households that are part of the Trust (Nostrand and Bronx River Addition Houses). More here.

Wednesday, Aug. 6 at 11 a.m.: The NYC Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises will meet regarding the following land use applications: Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan, 47 Hall Street Rezoning, 347 Flushing Avenue, 236 Gold Street Rezoning, 42-11 30th Avenue Rezoning, and Lenox Hill Hospital. More here.

Wednesday, Aug. 6 at 11:30 a.m.: The NYC Council’s Committee on Land Use will meet regarding the following land use applications: Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan, 47 Hall Street Rezoning, 347 Flushing Avenue, 236 Gold Street Rezoning, 42-11 30th Avenue Rezoning, and Lenox Hill Hospital. More here.

Friday, Aug. 8, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.: The Department of City Planning will have a table at the corner of 97th Street Greenmarket on the Upper West Side to share information about Mayor Eric Adams’ Manhattan Plan, which aims to build 100,000 new units of housing in Manhattan over the next decade. More here.

Saturday, Aug. 9, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.: The Department of City Planning will have a table at the Summer Streets events at 51st Street and Park Avenue to share information about Mayor Eric Adams’ Manhattan Plan, which aims to build 100,000 new units of housing in Manhattan over the next decade. More here.

NYC Affordable Housing Lotteries Ending Soon: The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) are closing lotteries on the following subsidized buildings over the next week.

46-06 11th Street Apartments, Queens, for households earning between $102,446 – $227,500 (last day to apply is 8/4)

55 Broad Street Apartments, Manhattan, for households earning between $37,578 – $200,900 (last day to apply is 8/4)

706 East 32nd Street Apartments, Brooklyn, for households earning between $103,303 – $189,540 (last day to apply is 8/4)

37-42 30th Street Apartments, Queens, for households earning between $107,109 – $227,500 (last day to apply is 8/5)

1 Putnam Avenue Apartments, Brooklyn, for households earning between $74,640 – $227,500 (last day to apply is 8/5)

66 East 177th Street Apartments, Bronx, for households earning between $76,595 – $140,000 (last day to apply is 8/5)

1550 White Plains Road Apartments, Bronx, for households earning between $80,640 – $140,000 (last day to apply is 8/6)

722 Saint Lawrence Avenue Apartments, Bronx, for households earning between $73,578 – $116,640 (last day to apply is 8/7)

88-30 54th Avenue Apartments, Queens, for households earning between $83,555 – $189,540 (last day to apply is 8/7)

88 Schermerhorn Street Apartments, Brooklyn, for households earning between (last day to apply is $125,520 – $189,540)

The post NYC Housing Calendar, Aug. 4-11 appeared first on City Limits.

Rep. Kaohly Her, DFL-St. Paul, has announced her bid for St. Paul mayor.

Her, was serves as speaker pro tempore of the Minnesota House and is the co-chair of the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee, had previously explored a run.

The filing period runs July 29 through Aug. 12, and Carter announced in January every intention of running again.

Declared candidates include Yan Chen, a Democrat and biophysicist, and Mike Hilborn, a Republican business owner who runs a power-washing, Christmas tree lighting and snowplowing company. The St. Paul DFL, which is in the process of reconstituting itself, has opted not to endorse in the ranked-choice election, which is nonpartisan but typically draws strong party interest.

As part of her announced Her released this statement: “We need a mayor who is ready to step up, engage with the community, and provide focused leadership that will move our city forward. My story is the story of the American Dream — but for many, that dream is no longer attainable.”

She noted she was born in a bamboo hut in Laos and arrived in the U.S. with her family as refugees.

“My parents had working-class jobs that paid enough to buy a home, give us a high-quality education, and break the poverty cycle in one generation. Everyone deserves that chance … We need leadership that meets this challenging time. We must expect more from our leaders to deal with the cruelty and volatility of Trump’s tariffs, immigration policies, and cuts at the federal level that threaten the livelihood of our community.”

She was first elected to the state House of Representatives representing District 64A — which covers Union Park and Summit-University neighborhoods — in 2018 and won a fourth term in 2024.

Voters will rank candidates in order of preference, and there will be no political primary to pare the field. Also appearing on the Nov. 4 ballot are questions about a St. Paul Public Schools levy and whether to empower the St. Paul City Council to impose administrative citations, or noncriminal fines.

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