Civic Register
| 9.29.17

What Are Your Thoughts About Trump’s Revised Travel Ban?

Join us and tell your reps how you feel!

What’s the story?

The Trump administration updated its travel ban hours before it was set to expire on Sunday night. The new travel restrictions now include eight countries, including two which are not majority-Muslim, unlike the original ban.

Five of the countries in the expiring ban will remain under travel restrictions: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen. Added to the list: Chad, North Korea, and Venezuela (the latter two are not Muslim-majority).

The latest ban restricts nationals from Chad and North Korea from entering the U.S. It also bans Venezuelan government officials and their immediate family from entering the country.

The new ban also made modifications to countries affected by the original ban. Restrictions will be relaxed for non-immigrant visitors from Somalia, Sudan’s been dropped from the travel ban, effectively immediately, and restrictions from Iran will be relaxed for students and exchange visitors.

"The travel ban: The tougher, the better," Trump said to reporters on Sunday.

Why does it matter?

President Trump said in a statement:

"Following an extensive review by the Department of Homeland Security, we are taking action today to protect the safety and security of the American people by establishing a minimum security baseline for entry into the United States. We cannot afford to continue the failed policies of the past, which present an unacceptable danger to our country."

Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, maintains that the majority of the targeted countries remain Muslim.

"The fact that Trump has added North Korea – with few visitors to the U.S. – and a few government officials from Venezuela doesn't obfuscate the real fact that the administration's order is still a Muslim ban," the ACLU director said in a statement. “President Trump's original sin of targeting Muslims cannot be cured by throwing other countries onto his enemies list.”

On Oct. 10, the Supreme Court was scheduled to hear arguments on whether the current ban discriminates against Muslims in violation of the Constitution. However, given the modifications, SCOTUS has removed the case from their calendar and asked both sides to brief them on whether it’s now "moot."

The Venezuelan foreign ministry described the latest restrictions as "a form of psychological and political terrorism".

Trump tweeted on Sunday night, "Making America Safe is my number one priority. We will not admit those into our country we cannot safely vet."

The new travel ban will take effect on Oct. 18.

What do you think?

Do you support these changes to the original travel ban? Will they "Make America Safe"? Or is the latest ban still, as the ACLU says, a “Muslim ban”? Hit Take Action, tell your reps, then comment below.

—Josh Herman

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(Photo Credit: Bet_Noire / iStockphoto)