December 6, 2017

Travel Ban: A US Policy Exists for Years

By: Azhar Azam

Trump Administration finally broke the losing-streak when the Supreme Court gave a verdict in its favor to enforce travel ban on aliens from several nations – predominately Muslim countries to ‘protecting Americans’.

In his newer version of September 24 proclamation – Donald Trump imposed certain ‘travelling limitations and restrictions’ on nationals from Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen.

Supreme Court ruling gives an odd win for astute Trump’s abhorrent, polemic, and despicable physiognomies to tactically exploit the two indispensables instilled in most Americans – nationalism and racism.

A distinct revelation in the edict confirms it which argues a Politico/Morning Consult poll showing 60% of the Americans supported these Trump’s travel restrictions. No less than a shock that the world’s most powerful administration is relying on public polls.

On the political front – the occasional success will also help him to prolong his maturing impeachment. Nevertheless, the decree is still subject to appeals and reviews in several federal courts of the country.

The prior January 27 (clarified on January 29) executive order – to temporarily ban nationals of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, and Yemen to entering into the United States – was knocked over by the courts immediately.

After the beat, the Trump Administration reworked and expanded the travel ban to Venezuela and North Korea to brand it more tolerable to the top court. Entry restrictions on Iraq were omitted due to ‘great screening security’.

Although Trump might be admired in the epidemic of these topical developments but in the backdrop of the US political history – he is no different to his predecessors who all assumed such measures.

The step is widely beheld as an accomplishment of Trump’s promise during election campaign to banning Muslims’ entrance into the United States but the reality is that this is a Muslim travel ban exists for years.

In fact, these Muslim-majority countries were already on the radar of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under Obama Administration following Paris 2015 attacks that the latest Trump’s travel edition verifies.

Firstly, DHS included four countries – Iran, Iraq, Sudan, and Syria on January 21, 2016 and later on February 18, 2016 added three more countries – Libya, Somalia, and Yemen, as countries of concern.

The Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015 became law on December 18, 2015.

Under this act, on January 21, 2016 – US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that it has intensively scrutinized a million passengers everyday travelling to the United States who either nationals of , been present or traveled to Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria on or after March 11, 2011.

In further travel restrictions, on February 16, 2016 – DHS continued the implementation of the Act and included certain individuals who have traveled to Libya, Somalia, and Yemen – three additional countries of concern.


Thirteen year back – this memorandum was issued by DHS under George W. Bush regime on November 1, 2004 which patently designates 35 countries and territories ‘as special interest countries’ – mostly Muslim peopled.

And importantly – Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen were already included in the countries of concern for the United States.

Consequently Trump is actually enforcing a hoarier US travel policy targeting Muslim-dominated countries – and he is only the new face to implement the pre-devised establishment agenda.