New Trump Travel Ban is Still a Muslim Ban

Trump’s revised executive order bans immigrants from six Muslim-majority countries.

A new ban on travel to the United States was signed by President Donald J. Trump on March 7.[/tweetit] Officials of the Trump administration hope the latest step will end all legal challenges concerning the matter. The travel ban is valid for 90 days. It stops new visa assurance of six nations, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Iran, Yemen and Somalia. Other than stopping travel for people arriving in the United States from these countries, it also does away with refugee program followed at present by the United States. The program will have 120 days suspension. The U.S. will now accept only 50,000 refugees per year. This number is much less than the Obama's 110,000 cap.

New Trump Travel Ban is Still a Muslim Ban[/tweetthis]

The new version of the ban is a better worded one and states that people with current visas, dual nationality and green cards are beyond the purview of the ban. It is to be noted Iraq has been erased from the list. Other noticeable changes include non-priority admission for religious minorities. It also states there will be no more indefinite barring of admission for refugees from Syria. Citizens of the latter country, however, will be affected by the 120 days' long refugee resettlement ban.

The new travel ban immediately attracted a share of vociferous critics. Two Democratic Representatives, Indiana's Andre Carson and Minnesota's Keith Ellison, quickly blasted President Trump and described it as a Muslim ban. Rep. Carson is member of House Intelligence Committee. Rep. Ellison described the Trump order as the president's “lawyered up” iteration of the first executive order. The Trump administration had vehemently denied such allegations.

The new travel ban has been widely welcomed by Republicans. Unlike the sudden launch of the first ban, which threw many GOP supporters off-guard, this one gathered accolades. Paul Ryan, the House Speaker, was effusive in his praise. He said the revised executive order helps to protect the United States. He praised the Trump administration and thanked John Kelly, the Homeland Security Secretary, for their hard work in improving vetting standards. He assured the president he and his Republican colleagues will work with him to make sure the U.S. becomes and then remains a safe place. Even Trump's erstwhile critics with the GOP praised the president. Senator Lindsey Graham, who once fiercely criticized Trump, has now fallen in line. The Senator said the new ban does not discriminate on the basis of religion.

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