Trump Expands Travel Ban
World
Asharq Al-Awsat
US President Donald Trump issued an expanded version of his travel ban on Friday that targets prospective immigrants from six countries, a move that could affect thousands of people and reignite debate on whether the policy is discriminatory. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said during a call with reporters that the six countries failed to meet US security and information-sharing standards, which necessitated the new restrictions. The problems Wolf cited ranged from sub-par passport technology to a failure to sufficiently exchange information on terrorism suspects and criminals. Belarus, which had been under consideration for inclusion, took steps to remedy deficiencies in recent months and will not face visa restrictions, Wolf said. The United States will suspend the issuance of visas that can lead to permanent residency for nationals of Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar and Nigeria, a presidential proclamation said. Temporary visas for tourists, businesspeople, students and workers from those nations will not be affected, it said. The US government also will stop issuing "diversity visas" to nationals of Sudan and Tanzania, the proclamation said. The visas, which Trump has criticized, are available by lottery for applicants from countries with low rates of immigration. "These countries, for the most part, want to be helpful," Wolf said, "but for a variety of different reasons simply failed to meet those minimum requirements that we laid out." The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was quick to condemn the new restrictions, saying that the administration was simply "expanding" the ban's scope. "President Trump is doubling down on his signature anti-Muslim policy -- and using the ban as a way to put even more of his prejudices into practice by excluding more communities of color," the ACLU said in a statement.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2109576/trump-expands-travel-ban
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