Individuals from banned nations, per Trump's travel restriction, express feelings of bewilderment and outrage as they ponder their uncertain futures
Tempers flared as families, legal representatives, and immigrant advocates reacted to the Trump administration's controversial move - restraining travel from 19 predominantly African, Asian, and Caribbean nations to the U.S.
While the White House defended the travel ban as a measure to secure American safety, critics fiercely accused it of discrimination, cruelty, racism, inhumanity, and more. The announcement also created confusion regarding the impact of the ban, set to take effect on Monday.
"This travel ban is a racist, bigoted, xenophobic, and deeply un-American assault on human rights - it's akin to persecution," said Adelys Ferro, executive director of the Venezuelan American Caucus, speaking to NBC News from Miami, a city with a substantial immigrant population from some of the countries on Trump's list.
"This administration seems to have an issue with immigrants, and it seems to have an issue with us in particular," added José Antonio Colina, a former Venezuelan army lieutenant who relocated to Miami in 2003 and heads the exile group Veppex. "We are doubly persecuted. We are persecuted by the tyranny of Nicolás Maduro and we are persecuted by the Trump administration."
A 38-year-old Haitian permanent resident in Miami too afraid to use her name expressed confusion and fear over the travel ban affecting Haiti. She said most of her family lives there, including her sister and father, who is ill. "They visit frequently, but I'm not sure if they will be able to now," she said, mentioning she heard that exceptions to the ban existed but she wasn't aware of the details.
Some exceptions have been made, including for people with permanent residency, spouses and children of U.S. citizens, those who are adopted, and others. However, according to Doug Rand, former senior advisor to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services during the Biden administration, obtaining an exemption as a spouse of a permanent resident may be difficult. The ban will also affect other relatives, such as adult children and siblings of U.S. citizens, those who won the diversity lottery, people who were sponsored by U.S. employers, and individuals from the listed countries who have been waiting for years to follow the lawful process.
People waiting for their visa interviews at the U.S. Embassy in Havana learned about the travel ban and its suspensions while they stood in line.
"I've been waiting nine years for this moment," said a young woman in line who asked to remain anonymous for fear it would affect her visa chances. She and others worried that the suspension would mean not being able to see family or escape difficult circumstances in Cuba.
"If they don't grant visas, Cubans will starve, given the situation; they will starve," said Ismael Gainza, a retired Cuban. "I regard this measure as detrimental, as I see it as bad because the situation is already difficult and we have to survive."
Trump's proclamation, issued on Wednesday night, blocks nationals from 12 countries from traveling to the U.S. The countries are: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. In seven more countries, travel to the U.S. was suspended but not completely blocked. They are Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
Shahzeen Karim, managing attorney at the Hafey & Karim law firm, stated that while she operates within the immigration law field, she holds "Republican views" on the topic, agreeing there's a need for stricter immigration policy and thorough screening. However, she admits feeling targeted as a Muslim immigration attorney, as the majority of the countries on the list are predominantly Muslim.
Challenging the ban could prove to be a difficult task, as immigration advocates were well-prepared for the president to introduce a similar policy in his second term, having encountered a similar situation in 2017 when Trump's ban immediately barred Muslims from entering the country, leaving some stranded at airports or unable to board flights. Despite this, the impact of the current ban will be felt strongly by individuals trying to reunite families, those who obtained jobs in the U.S., and those with tours, visits, or study plans set up.
It took three attempts for Trump to come up with a travel ban that the U.S. Supreme Court would accept in his previous administration. The courts rejected the initial version, and the administration made revisions until the high court accepted the third version in June 2018. Immigration and civil rights groups opposed all three versions.
Raha Wala, vice president of strategy and partnerships at the National Immigration Law Center, stated that challenging the latest ban will be an uphill battle due to the Supreme Court decision being the law of the land. Immigration attorney Edward Cuccia explained that blocking the latest ban could be more challenging now than in 2017, as the mix of countries makes it harder to argue that the ban is discriminatory. He also suggested that the argument that the countries do not adequately vet their nationals' documents may hold up in court.
Overall, the implications for those affected by the ban who are not a security risk are extensive, and the ban cannot be separated from the president's previous policies and statements, as it was initially proposed as a complete and total shutdown of Muslims within the country and a ban on people from "shithole countries."
- In response to the Trump administration's travel ban, concerns have been raised about its impact on pension savings and investment opportunities for individuals affected by the restrictions, particularly those from countries where they have family and businesses.
- The travel ban has also brought the issue of policy-and-legislation and politics into focus, as critics accuse the administration of using war-and-conflicts as a pretext for implementing discriminatory policies.
- As the general news about the travel ban continues to unfold, the implications for retirement savings and long-term investment plans of those affected are a growing concern, especially given the ongoing confusion and uncertainty surrounding the policy and its revisions.
