President Trump’s New Travel Ban Doubles Down on Xenophobic Policy
Washington, D.C. – Human Rights First condemns the Trump administration’s extensive travel ban Proclamation that will fully restrict and limit travel to the United States by nationals from a series of countries, including Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. This ban disproportionately targets Muslim-majority nations and undermines the United States’ foundational principles of equality under the law. The ban partially restricts and limits the entry of nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
“This return to divisive and racist policies to target entire populations marks yet another anti-immigrant and punitive action taken by President Trump,” said Robyn Barnard, Senior Director of Refugee Advocacy at Human Rights First. “The ban will harm refugees, asylum seekers, and other vulnerable populations, including many who have been waiting to reunite with loved ones in our country. Bans do nothing to make our country secure, but rather undermine our national security and arbitrarily target those most in need of protection.”
The ban follows familiar acts by the first Trump administration which spelled chaotic foreign policy, and marks another broken promise to Afghans who supported and advanced the U.S. mission in Afghanistan for decades. These individuals are now in grave danger of retaliation by the Taliban since the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. While Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders are exempt from the travel ban restrictions, other at-risk Afghans will be impacted by this hateful ban. Many are at grave risk due to the deteriorating conditions in-country and many have been waiting for years to reunite with loved ones in the United States. The U.S. government has a duty to protect these individuals and the travel ban makes it even harder for them to escape persecution, jeopardizing their lives and the promises made to them by the United States.
“The Trump administration’s travel ban will block vulnerable Afghans from reaching safety and prolong the separation of desperate families with loved ones in the United States, including in some cases children who were separated from parents during the 2021 withdrawal,” said Shala Gafary, Managing Attorney, Project: Afghan Legal Assistance at Human Rights First. “Our country has a duty and moral imperative to honor commitments made to those who risked everything in support of advancing American values.”
The executive order adds onto the previous anti-immigrant and -refugee bans implemented immediately following the President’s inauguration, which undermine our global standing and target fundamental rights. Specifically, the policy closely follows a discriminatory “Muslim ban” from the first Trump administration that was ultimately reversed by the Biden administration. The 2018 ban was condemned by human rights organizations worldwide as a violation of U.S. commitments to religious freedom, non-discrimination, and refugee protection. This new iteration of the travel ban is a continuation of that assault on the rights of vulnerable populations, especially Muslims and other minorities, and represents a dangerous abuse of executive power.
Human Rights First calls on the American public and Congress to stand up to this unjust and harmful travel ban. We urge lawmakers to demand that the administration halt this discriminatory policy, protect at-risk Afghans, and uphold the rights of all people, regardless of their nationality or religion.
To speak with Barnard, Gafary, or others at Human Rights First please contact [email protected].
