U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a third version of his
travel ban, this one targeting eight countries: Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. In an executive order issued Sunday, Trump said those
countries had "inadequate" counterterrorism protocols in place, though
the restrictions vary from country to country:
- North
Korea & Syria: All immigration and visitors banned.
- Chad,
Libya & Yemen: Most immigration and visitors banned, including travel on business visas.
- Iran: All immigration and visitors banned except on student and exchange visitor
visas.
- Venezuela: Entry banned for "officials of government agencies … involved in screening
and vetting procedures" and their immediate family members. Other
Venezuelan nationals may still enter with visas but are subject to "appropriate
additional measures to ensure traveler information remains current."
The ban also restricts immigration from Somalia, but
visitors may enter with visas "subject to additional scrutiny."
Sudan, included in earlier bans, is excluded from this version.
The order made the ban effective immediately for those
countries that also appeared in previous travel bans: Iran, Libya, Syria and
Yemen. The ban begins Oct. 18 for citizens of North Korea, Venezuela and Chad and
for those who had been exempted from the previous ban due to bona fide relationships
with someone in the U.S. like immediate family.
The new ban does not impact travel for any holders of current,
valid visas, green cards or travel docs.
Context for Travel
Ban 3.0
"We cannot afford to continue the failed policies of
the past, which present an unacceptable danger to our country," Trump
said. "My highest obligation is to ensure the safety and security of the
American people, and in issuing this new travel order, I am fulfilling that sacred
obligation."
This is Trump's third attempt at a travel ban, following two
that became mired in legal challenges. His
first automatically revoked as many as 60,000 valid travel visas, banning
entry of all citizens of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Syria for 90
days. A
revised version removed Iraq from the list and revised implementation time lines,
and the
U.S. Supreme Court was slated to review it on Oct. 10 but on Sept. 25 canceled those arguments. It has asked both sides to submit briefs by Oct. 5 to help the court decide whether the case it was going to consider is moot in light of the third version.
While Trump's new order said it offers a more "tailored
approach" in regards to nonimmigrants, it also bans travel indefinitely;
earlier versions had banned travel for a limited period. The order allows the ban
to be lifted per country should a country demonstrate it meets required
procedures.
By adding North Korea and Venezuela, the order also attempts
to counter criticism that the earlier versions were Muslim bans. Those
accusations are likely to persist, considering that few North Korean nationals
visit the U.S. and that the Venezuela ban has limited scope.
"The devil is in the details, and we are watching with
great skepticism," American Civil Liberties Union executive
director Anthony Romero said immediately after the ban was issued. "This is an apparent effort to paper over the
original sin of the Muslim ban, especially when Trump just last week said he
wanted a 'larger, tougher and more specific' ban."
Travel trade organizations also have been critical of the
previous versions of the bans, saying that while security is paramount, the wide-reaching
bans had damaged the industry. The U.S. Travel Association earlier this month,
using revised data sources, reported
that inbound international travel declined year over year in the months
following the initial ban, as well as in June and July.
Global
Business Travel Association executive director Mike McCormick said the new
order is an improvement, as it "established clearer criteria and a process
for evaluating the admission of foreign visitors into the United States, as
well as a willingness to engage with other countries to assist them in meeting
the mutual beneficial goal of safe travel." He added, however, that the
Trump administration also needs to present a clearer message on the importance
of business travel. "The initial comprehensive January and March travel
bans have created the perception that the United States is closed for
business," he said. "The White House should now work to counter that
perception. The resulting losses in business travel and trade have left a
lasting negative impact on our economy."
U.S. Travel Association EVP for public affairs
Jonathan Grella echoed McCormick's praise for a pathway to compliance, as well
as his call for the Trump administration to communicate that it is not trying
to discourage travel: "The American travel community continues to feel
that both security and economic objectives could benefit from a clear message
that these policy moves are tailored to specific issues. The world needs to
know that they are not intended to discourage travel generally and that
legitimate business and leisure travelers are as welcome as ever in the United
States."
Updated Sept. 25, 2017, at 4:55 p.m. Eastern to include comment from the U.S. Travel Association.
Updated Sept. 26, 9:30 a.m., Eastern to include the fact that the Supreme Court canceled the oral arguments about the previous travel ban.