In the wake of the Colorado Terror attack, US President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation banning foreign nationals from 12 countries from entering the USA. The ban will be implemented from Monday, June 9.
Donald Trump made the announcement from White House balcony on Wednesday. In a video posted on X Trump said , “We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm”. He said that the list of countries could be revised and more countries added. Further he said, Biden’s open door policies has caused thousands of illegal people living in the USA from dangerous countries all over the world. The ban will also target those overstaying their visas and living illegally in the USA.
As of now, nationals from the countries – Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen have been banned because of security reasons. People from other countries like the Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela will face partial restrictions.
Previously, in his first term Donald Trump had imposed a ban on several Islamic countries, which was found discriminatory. But this time Trump says the ban is to keep the US safe from all countries where individuals are not vetted properly. He said he cannot let terrorist attacks like those in Europe happening in the USA.
In his message he said, “The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted.”
President Trump said, ” We do not want them” adding “We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen. That is why today I am signing a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, Libya, and numerous others.”
Reactions from several countries on the Donald Trump ban:
Afghanistan: AfghanEvac, a representative of Afghan refugees, slammed the Trump ban as poor policy and opportunism. It said that the move is not a security measure but political drama. AfghanEvac said, “Let’s call it what it is: a second Muslim Ban, dressed up in bureaucracy,” adding “It was delayed until a moment of public grief and fear could be exploited for maximum political cover. That’s not leadership. It’s opportunism.”
Africa: The African Union commission has raised concerns about the ban and its affect on people-people ties. In a tweet posted on X, it said, “The Commission remains concerned about the potential negative impact of such measures on people-to-people ties, educational exchange, commercial engagement, and the broader diplomatic relations that have been carefully nurtured over decades. Africa and the United States share mutual interests in promoting peace, prosperity, and global cooperation,” . 7 African countries are on the Trump’s current ban list.
Venezuela: An interior minister Diosdaddo Cabello from Venezuela has claimed that USA is a dangerous place for everyone to live in. He said, “Being in the United States is a great risk for anyone, not just for Venezuelans,” adding “They persecute our countrymen, our people, for no reason.” Venezuela is one of the countries which face partial restrictions.
Somalia: Somali Ambassador Dahir Hassan Abdi said, “Somalia values its longstanding relationship with the United States and stands ready to engage in dialogue to address the concerns raised.”
Iran: President of the National Iranian American Council, Jamal Abdi stated, “The impact of the ban will once again be felt by Americans who were denied the ability to see their loved ones at weddings, funerals, or the birth of a child.”
The Pakistan Paradox
That Pakistan is not among the countries included in the ban list has baffled many. Pakistan is known to host US designated terrorists in its soil but that Pakistan is missing from the list raised questions about the strategy of the move. Trump had been quite vocal about Pakistan during his first term as US President.
He had then tweeted, “The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!”
Pakistan also hosts thousands of Afghan refugees awaiting resettlement in the USA. Trump ban which excludes Pakistan but bans Afghanistan nationals will affect Pakistan. However, Pakistan Foreign Ministry has kept quiet on the travel ban as per latest Reuters report.
