Trump reveals revised travel ban

Emily Liesch, Copy Editor
September 28, 2017

 

After its initial introduction in late January, Trump’s travel ban has gone through several revisions with hopes of being accepted by the courts.

President Donald Trump tweeted about the new and “improved” travel ban that includes more countries on Sunday, September 24, 2017.

The countries now included in the ban include Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. The ban goes into effect on October 18, according to Arnie Seipel of NPR.

The original ban, including the countries Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, expired the same day the newest revisions were announced. However, those from the original banned countries who have a bona fide relationship with a US citizen are still eligible to apply for a visa until October 18.

Each country included in the revised ban has its own set of restrictions. For both immigrants and nonimmigrants looking to travel from North Korea and Syria, all travel is prohibited. All tourist visas from Chad, Libya, and Yemen are suspended along with some immigrants and nonimmigrants that have business in the US. Entry into the US from Somalia by immigrants is completely suspended while nonimmigrants are still able to enter after extreme vetting.

A group of Sept. 11 families and supporters rally during a news conference Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017, in New York. Group spokesman John Sigmund, who lost his sister Johanna Sigmund in the Sept. 11 attacks, said the group “9/11 Families and Friends United Against the Ban,” came together two weeks ago to speak “out against this deplorable Muslim ban that was in the recent executive order by President Trump.” (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Much like North Korea and Syria, all immigrants and nonimmigrants from Iran are banned except for those with valid student or travel visas. Additionally, some Venezuelan government officials and their families are banned, and all tourist visas are suspended.

In response to the new revisions, the Supreme Court, who was originally going to rule on the constitutionality of Trump’s travel ban in October, have cleared their calendar of all related cases. The court issued a statement on Monday following Trump’s announcement, saying that both sides must file new briefs on what parts of the issue are subject to debate. All parties from the original cases have until October 5 to file their new briefs.

Elaine Duke, the acting Secretary of Homeland Security, described the purpose of the ban, saying, “the restrictions imposed by the president were carefully considered to prevent the entry of foreign nationals for whom the U.S. government lacks sufficient information to assess the risk they pose.”