In December of 2017, former President Donald Trump signed a proclamation prohibiting persons from 12 countries from entering the United States. This decision has enormous consequences for foreign nationals attempting to enter the United States. This new order, which the White House states is part of ongoing efforts to bolster national security, aims to prevent individuals from countries deemed to pose a threat to American safety.
Only a complete ban reaches all countries. These are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Trump’s newest proclamation is just the latest iteration of his earlier travel bans getting retooled in the face of multiple legal challenges.
Background of the Travel Ban
The history of Trump’s travel ban is less than straightforward. This went back to the beginning with his first presidential campaign when he blatantly, unequivocally and publicly called for a ban on Muslims coming to the United States. The initial executive order issued in January 2017 restricted travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen.
These previous attempts ran into significant legal challenges until an updated iteration was allowed to stand by the Supreme Court in 2018. According to Trump’s administration, these actions were critical moves for national security. They argued that the measures were not motivated by anti-Muslim prejudice, but were instead aimed at protecting American citizens.
“I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people,” – Mr Trump
The new proclamation comes in the wake of a report produced by the Trump Administration’s Department of State and Homeland Security at the direction of Trump himself. This status report sought to measure the extent of these “hostile attitudes” towards the U.S. It further assessed whether submissions from certain nations threatened national security.
Conditions and Exceptions
The new travel ban does provide exceptions for some categories of travelers that satisfy certain criteria. These exemptions include lawful permanent residents of the U.S., valid passport and visa holders, athletes and members of athletic teams, as well as individuals deemed to advance U.S. national interests.
Attorney-General Pamela Bondi has sanctioned exceptions for individuals who may play a significant role in national security matters, including witnesses in criminal proceedings. Further, under the adopted measure children adopted by U.S. residents or legal permanent visa holders are exempted from the restrictions.
This is why the exemption list includes foreign nationals currently on Special Immigrant Visas. This narrowly applies to Afghan nationals who supported U.S. military and humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan. People who hold diplomatic credentials will be exempt from the travel ban. This is true for those holding visas provided by the UN or NATO.
“President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm,” – Abigail Jackson
National Security Concerns
As with so many of Trump’s ugly policies, he’s used national security fears as his leading argument for this travel ban. He emphasized that the March 2021 Boulder, Colorado terror attack shows the acute dangers of foreign nationals that we’re not vetting. He further highlighted the threat posed by visa overstayers.
“The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted,” – Mr Trump
Of course, the White House is all in on this interpretation. It has urged that the countries on the ban list do not have sufficient screening and vetting and that this is a substantial risk to the United States.
“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.” – Mr Trump
Trump’s statement reinforces a strong stance against unrestricted migration from countries where there is difficulty in ensuring safe vetting processes. As the United States prepares to host both the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, maintaining stringent immigration policies has become a focal point in national discourse.
