Whats In, Whats Out In Updated Version Of Trump’s Travel Ban

United States President Donald Trump has come up with second round of its executive order, though it is officially termed as a revised version. Among the seven nations ban of the first edition Iraq has been omited now, probably due to diplomatic reasons and it is fighting against Islamic State militant group in Syria. Also, the first attempt became highly controversial and was blocked in the courts.

The new order was signed on Monday and will be effective from March 16. It reads a 90-day ban on travel to the US by citizens of the six Muslim-majority countries and those are Iran, Syria, Somalia, Libya, Yemen and Sudan.

However, the travel ban is only applicable to the new visa applicants. This mean 60,000 people who were revoked after the original order will be allowed to enter the country. These people were waiting for the visas to be approved when the order surprisingly became effective.

Immigration advocates said the new bill has again failed to address some of the concerns, but legal experts feel the new order would be not easy to challenge in court as it effects fewer people living in the country and also allows more exemptions to protect them.

After signing the original executive order on January 27 the president said it was required and was issued considering national security, particularly meant to head off attacks by Islamist militants.

Protests were immediately sparked across the US as well as in other countries against Trump government. Visa holders were found being detained at the airports and thereafter deported back to their own country. Criticism mounted from the seven targeted countries and on February 3 a US suspended finally suspended it.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said, “As threats to our security continue to evolve and change, common sense dictates that we continually re-evaluate and reassess the systems we rely upon to protect our country.”

Meanwhile, Democrats have signaled to be opposing the ban calling it a discriminatory one.

House of Representatives Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said, “The Trump administration’s repackaging has done nothing to change the immoral, unconstitutional and dangerous goals of their Muslim and refugee ban.”

The president has now doubled down on anti-Muslim bigotry, said executive director of Muslim Advocates, Farhana Khera.

Muslim Advocates is a civil rights group in capital Washington and Farhana further added it is clear the new ban is a Muslim ban.

Immediately after the first ban order Iraq imposed new vetting procedures like data sharing and heightened visa screening. So this may be the reason to exclude the country from the new list.