Friday, October 13, 2017

Trump Administration Proposes a New Travel Ban

Victoria Siano

Editor

One Sunday, Sept. 24, it was announced that the Trump administration will be enacting a new travel ban that will permanently ban about all travel to the United States for seven specific countries, believing it to be the best way to safeguard against national security threats posed by letting citizens from these countries in.
 Starting this month, on Oct. 18, a majority of citizens from Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Chad, and North Korea will be banned from entering the United States until they meet the minimum standards for identifying and screening potential travelers and sharing the information with US law enforcement officials. It has been described as being significantly more targeted than its predecessor, as it essentially outlines a specific set of travel restrictions for each country, although in most cases this means that people from those countries will not be permitted to permanently emigrate, study, or go on vacation in the United States.
 The new order will not apply to permanent residents of the United States who currently hold visas or are international students or employees of businesses in the US from targeted countries, however, it does not cover people seeking refuge here. Rather, the issue will be covered in a new set of separate rules that the Trump administration will release in the days to come.
 This ban functions as a continuation of President Trump’s plan to fulfill his campaign promise of addressing terrorist threats by tightening entry into the country though more specific and flexible means than before, making it more likely than his original travel ban (which set off challenges to his legal authority) to stand up to legal scrutiny. However, it has still been met with significant opposition, as critics have complained that the ban still pertains to mainly Muslim countries.
 In response to these accusations, President Trump released a statement: “We cannot afford to continue the failed policies of the past, which present an unacceptable danger to our country. My highest obligation is to ensure the safety and security of the American people, and in issuing this new travel order, I am fulfilling that sacred obligation.”