FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 2017
PRESS CONTACT
Henrike Dessaules
hdessaules@refugeerights.org
646.459.3081
IRAP STRONGLY REJECTS THE ADMINISTRATION’S LATEST ATTEMPT AT BANNING MUSLIMS FROM THE COUNTRY
(New York, NY) – Today, on the day of the expiration of the March 6 travel ban, which prevents individuals from six majority-Muslim countries from entering the United States, the President issued a new executive order authorizing even broader travel restrictions. The newly authorized order places an entry ban and additional vetting procedures on eight nations – Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen – the majority of which are primarily Muslim. Iraqis will also face additional screening.
The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) at the Urban Justice Center strongly rejects this latest attempt at banning Muslims from entering the country, which President Trump repeatedly promised to do during his campaign. Multiple courts ruled against the previous orders, pointing out their unconstitutionality. This most recent order is just as unlawful, in that its effects would once again keep predominantly majority-Muslim populations from coming to the United States, even though they would have previously qualified for visas. The order also exceeds the scope of the President’s lawful authority over immigration.
IRAP’s Director, Becca Heller, said: “This is still a Muslim ban – they simply added three additional countries. Of those countries, Chad is majority Muslim, travel from North Korea is already basically frozen and the restrictions on Venezuela only affect government officials on certain visas. You can’t get any more transparent than that.”
Sudan was the only country dropped from the list of targeted nations of the previous ban. Last week, the government ended Temporary Protected Status for Sudan, suggesting that the government of Sudan was pressured into agreeing to accept massive numbers of deported Sudanese nationals from the U.S. in exchange for being dropped from the travel ban.
To view the press release, click here.
International Refugee Assistance Project at the Urban Justice Center
www.facebook.com/RefugeeAssist/
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