President Donald Trump has left many members of the international community in dismay after issuing a travel ban, which completely restricts entry to the United States from 12 countries and imposes partial limitations on entry from seven countries. The proclamation, which was announced and signed on June 4, went into effect on June 9.
“Today’s proclamation weaponizes and distorts immigration laws to target people that the president dislikes and disagrees with – and it does so based primarily on racial and religious animus,” said Stephanie Gee, the senior director of U.S. at the International Refugee Assistance Project in a statement. “It is yet another shameful attempt by the Trump administration to sow division, fear, and chaos.”
Per the newly instated policy, nationals from the following countries are suspended from entering the U.S.: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. One of the most common reasons for these countries to have such intense restrictions is due to the high number of visitors who have stayed in the U.S. past their visa’s expiration date.
The countries with a partial suspension include: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. Those with a B-1 visa for business purposes, a B-2 for tourism, an F or M student visa or a J visa for exchange programs are all barred from entering the United States. Consular offices have been given the green light to reduce the validity of any other nonimmigrant visas issued to the foreign citizens of the aforementioned countries.
In a video announcing the proclamation, Trump stated it is in the best interest of the U.S. citizens’ safety that he introduce a ban this extensive.
“In the 21st century, we’ve seen one terror attack after another carried out by foreign visa overstayers from dangerous places all over the world,” Trump said. “Very simply, we cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States.”
Exceptions to the suspensions include: permanent U.S. residents; those with dual nationality who aren’t travelling with a passport from one of the restricted countries; travelers with visas for employees of international organizations or NATO; those with immediate family immigrant visas; adoption visas; Afghan Special Immigrant visas; Special Immigrant visas for U.S. Government employees; and immigrant visas for minorities subjected to persecution in Iran.
“It is also completely arbitrary, making an exception for athletes… while closing the door to ordinary people who’ve gone through extensive legal processes to enter the United States,” Gee continued in her statement. “This racist and xenophobic ban will keep families apart.”
International Leaders React
Out of the 19 countries with complete or partial restrictions against their citizens’ entry into the U.S., nine are located in Africa, which compelled the African Union Commission (AUC), based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to release a statement following the travel ban’s announcement.
In the written statement, the AUC acknowledged the U.S.’s desire to protect its borders and ensure citizens’ safety, but condemned the space such a targeted prohibition allows for intolerance of foreigners into a country that is supposed to champion liberty and equality.
“The Commission remains concerned about the potential negative impact of such measures on people-to-people ties, educational exchange, commercial engagement, and the broader diplomatic relations that have been carefully nurtured over decades,” the AUC wrote.
The AUC expressed its hopes that the U.S. would exercise its right to take preventative measures in the name of national security in a more balanced manner that exhibits its partnership with the African continent.
In response to Trump’s proclamation, President Mahamat Idriss Déby of Chad instructed members of his government to act with reciprocity and cease issuing visas to U.S. citizens. He claimed that while his country doesn’t have planes or an excess of wealth, Chadians have “dignity and pride.”
Trump’s proclamation states that Chadian holders of B-1/B-2 visas have an overstay rate of 49.5%, and those with F, J or M visas have an overstay rate of 55.64%. According to the document, these high ratios are “unacceptable” and justify the full suspension of travel into the U.S.
“We cannot allow this administration to erode foundational American principles and replace them with their bigoted agenda,” Gee said.
