Administration Plans to Expand the Travel Ban
President Donald Trump confirmed that the administration would be updating the list of countries in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. While he wouldn't reveal which nations would be added, Politico spoke with sources who said the new restrictions would bar immigrants and travelers from countries including Belarus, Myanmar (also known as Burma), Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania.
"We're adding a couple of countries" to the ban, Trump told reporters at a news conference at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "We have to be safe. Our country has to be safe. You see what's going on in the world. Our country has to be safe," he said.
White House spokesman Hogan Gidley declined to comment on any pending decisions but said the travel ban had been a success. "If a country wants to fully participate in U.S. immigration programs, they should also comply with all security and counterterrorism measures" required, Gidley said.
Opposed:
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations
and Judiciary Committees, released the following statement in response to news reports that President
Trump plans to expand his existing, so-called Muslim ban to prevent individuals from seven additional
countries from entering the United States.
"The United States is at its strongest when we are a welcoming country capable of attracting talented
people from all over the world. The President's current, so-called Muslim travel ban is un-American.
Expanding it further makes us less safe and violates our values. I will continue to fight against this
senseless and shameful policy.
"Rather than expanding his discriminatory, so-called Muslim ban that does not make us safer,
President Trump should lift the ban completely. Press reports suggest the Trump Administration is
planning to also ban or limit travel by people from Belarus, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria,
Sudan, and Tanzania. The Administration must explain their logic behind this seemingly random set of
countries from across the world that makes no strategic sense. Take Nigeria, for example - it has the
largest economy and largest population in Africa, and Nigerians represent the largest African diaspora
group in the United States. They are our partner in the Global Coalition against terrorism. Why would
we choose to weaken our ties with them" There is currently a political transition underway in Sudan
following popular demonstrations in favor of democracy that overthrew a long-standing dictator. Why
would we make it more difficult to support the political transition in Sudan" Why would we make it
harder for Kyrgyzstan to nurture its independence and democratic institutions" I question whether
President Trump has thought through the harmful consequences of expanding this senseless ban, and
I call on my colleagues to join me in pushing back against this action."
Senator Coons is the co-author of the NO BAN Act, legislation that would end the President's Muslim
ban and prevent another baseless, discriminatory ban from happening again. The NO BAN Act is led in
the House by Congresswoman Judy Chu (D- Calif.) and supported by nearly 250 members of
Congress; 400 civil rights, faith, national security and community organizations; 50 immigration law
professors; and several private companies.
