Strong Democratic Response to Trump’s New Travel Regulations
In light of the Trump administration’s proposed measures to reinstate the controversial Muslim Ban, Democratic lawmakers have reintroduced the National Origin-Based Anti-Discrimination for Non-Immigrants (NO BAN) Act. This bill aims to prevent any future president from imposing travel bans based on religion.
Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-28) and Senator Chris Coons (DE) reintroduced the bill, which seeks to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to prevent religious discrimination in the issuance of visas or other immigration benefits. Under this bill, any travel ban would be implemented only with solid evidence and would require Congressional oversight.
The NO BAN Act has garnered support from several prominent lawmakers, including Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Don Beyer (VA-08), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Andre Carson (IN-07), and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12).
Trump’s New Executive Order: Indication of the Return of the Muslim Ban
On his first day back in office, Donald Trump issued an executive order instructing relevant agencies to identify countries with insufficient security and immigration vetting measures within 60 days, potentially leading to new travel bans on Muslim-majority nations.
Congresswoman Judy Chu condemned the move, stating: “Trump’s first Muslim ban was rooted in bias and Islamophobia, causing harm to many families. Now, he is attempting to reinstate this discriminatory policy with a new executive order, which is why we are reintroducing the NO BAN Act to prevent any president from imposing entry bans based on religion.”
Senator Chris Coons also criticized the policy, saying: “Trump’s first Muslim ban was unfair, un-American, and harmful to our global standing. Now, he is once again shaping immigration policy through fear and prejudice. The NO BAN Act is more important than ever to prevent such discriminatory actions and protect religious freedom.”
Key Points of the NO BAN Act
The bill proposes the following measures to stop religiously based travel bans:
- Prohibiting religious discrimination under immigration and nationality laws.
- Requiring valid justification for any travel ban and limiting it to specific security concerns.
- Notifying Congress within 48 hours of the enforcement of a travel ban and providing regular updates.
Along with the NO BAN Act, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Senator Alex Padilla (CA) have reintroduced the “Access to Counsel Act,” which ensures U.S. citizens, green card holders, and legal visa holders can contact a lawyer or family member if detained by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers for more than an hour.
This act was proposed in response to the 2017 Muslim ban when thousands of travelers were detained at U.S. airports, often without legal assistance.
Reactions from Lawmakers and Human Rights Organizations
Many lawmakers and human rights organizations have voiced their opposition to Trump’s proposed reinstatement of the travel ban.
Congressman Jerry Nadler (NY-12) said: “No president should be allowed to discriminate based on fear and bias. The NO BAN Act will ensure that our immigration policies reflect American values, not xenophobia.”
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) stated: “Millions of Muslims were affected by Trump’s hateful Muslim ban. Now he wants to reinstate it. We must permanently end this racist and Islamophobic policy.”
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (MN-05) added: “Having come from a country previously banned, I understand the devastating impact on families. The NO BAN Act will stop presidents from targeting vulnerable communities.”
Congressman Andre Carson (IN-07) said: “Trump’s Muslim ban fueled Islamophobia and hate crimes in the U.S. Reinstating this policy will only deepen divisions in our society.”
Various human rights and immigrant advocacy groups, including ACLU, Muslim Advocates, National Immigration Law Center, and MPower Change, have supported the NO BAN Act.
Jamal Abadi, President of the National Iranian American Council Action, remarked: “Reinstating the Muslim ban will separate thousands of American families and hurt our economy. The scars from the first ban have not yet healed, and Congress must act swiftly to prevent this injustice from recurring.”
Noreen Shah, Deputy Director of the ACLU’s Equality Division, said: “We witnessed chaos and cruelty during Trump’s first Muslim ban. We cannot allow history to repeat itself. The NO BAN Act is a critical defense against discriminatory immigration policies.”
The reintroduction of the NO BAN Act is a significant step against religious discrimination in U.S. immigration policy. As Trump seeks to reinstate and expand travel bans, Democrats in Congress are pushing back to prevent future presidents from imposing such restrictions based on religion or nationality.
The bill will now be presented for debate and voting in Congress, where Democrats hope to secure bipartisan support to block the return of these controversial travel bans.
