Latest news with #StateandHomelandSecurity
Gulf Insider
2 days ago
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Trump Travel Ban, Restrictions Go Into Effect On 19 Nations
A travel ban signed by President Donald Trump has gone into effect, barring nationals from 12 countries from entering the United States and restricting entry by nationals from seven others. The ban, instituted through a presidential proclamation rather than an executive order, went into effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on June 9. As a proclamation, it isn't legally binding but signals a shift in federal policy.A total of 12 countries face complete bans under the proclamation, including Afghanistan, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Burma (also known as Myanmar), the Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. People from these nations are barred from entering the United States for immigration or other reasons. The seven countries that the president partially restricted travel from are Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. Trump suspended the entry of individuals from those seven countries 'as immigrants, and as nonimmigrants,' on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas, according to the directive. Those who are already in the country from these nations with a valid visa will be permitted to remain. Trump tied the proclamation to national security and public safety. In a video on social media, Trump linked the new ban to the June 1 terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, saying it underscored the dangers posed by some visitors who overstay visas. The suspect in that attack, Mohammed Sabry Soliman, was an Egyptian national who overstayed his visa, according to the Department of Homeland Security. 'It is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks and other national security or public-safety threats,' Trump's order reads. 'Screening and vetting protocols and procedures associated with visa adjudications and other immigration processes play a critical role in implementing that policy.' He tied the Afghanistan ban to the Taliban's current control of the nation, the Iran ban to the Islamic state's status as a 'state sponsor of terrorism' and noncooperation with the United States, and Somalia's to the nation's internal terrorism issues. The proclamation also mentions the significant influx of illegal immigrants from Haiti. 'This influx harms American communities by creating acute risks of increased overstay rates, establishment of criminal networks, and other national security threats,' the proclamation reads. Others were tied to noncooperation by foreign governments, including not accepting deported foreign nationals. For example, according to the White House, Chad had visa overstay rates of 37 percent, 49 percent, and 55 percent, depending on the type of visa, in 2022 and 2023. 'The high visa overstay rate for 2022 and 2023 is unacceptable and indicates a blatant disregard for United States immigration laws,' the directive said. The travel ban results from a Jan. 20 executive order that Trump issued requiring the departments of State and Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to compile a report on 'hostile attitudes' toward the United States and whether entry from certain countries represented a national security risk. The order met with criticism from some international and immigrant groups, including the International Refugee Assistance Project. In a statement, the group said that the ban 'weaponizes and distorts immigration laws to target people that the president dislikes and disagrees with' and would create 'chaos.' The African Union Commission also expressed concerns about the 'potential negative impact' of the move. 'The African Union Commission respectfully calls upon the U.S. administration to consider adopting a more consultative approach and to engage in constructive dialogue with the countries concerned,' the commission said in a statement. Also read: Trump Orders Additional 2,000 National Guardsmen To LA As Riots Continue
The Hill
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Two-thirds support policies prioritizing birth sex over gender identity: Gallup
Roughly two-thirds of Americans support policies preventing transgender people from participating on sports teams that match their gender identity or changing their sex designation on government documents such as passports and driver's licenses, according to a poll released Tuesday by Gallup. Support for each such prevention policy varied by political affiliation but was led overwhelmingly by Republicans, according to the poll, based on responses to Gallup's May 1-18 Values and Beliefs survey. It was the third year respondents were asked about transgender people in sports and the first year they were asked about identity documents. Forty-one percent of Democrats and 72 percent of independents said they believe trans athletes should only be permitted to play sports consistent with their sex at birth, according to the poll, and 38 percent of Democrats and 66 percent of independents said transgender people shouldn't be allowed to change their sex on official documents. Fourteen percent of Democrats said they were unsure where they stood on either issue. Roughly 90 percent of Republicans surveyed said they support both policies. The survey, released during Pride Month, reflects shifting public opinion on two of President Trump's policy priorities relating to transgender Americans. On his first day back in office, Trump signed an executive order declaring that the federal government recognizes only two sexes, male and female, and that those sexes 'are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.' The order directs the departments of State and Homeland Security and the Office of Personnel Management to require government-issued identification documents, including passports, visas and Global Entry cards, to reflect an individual's sex over their gender identity. The State Department previously allowed U.S. passport holders to self-select sex designations, including an 'unspecified' gender marker denoted by the letter X. In April, a federal judge blocked the administration from enforcing the new policy against six trans and nonbinary Americans while they challenged it in court. In another executive order signed in February, Trump proclaimed the U.S. opposes 'male competitive participation in women's sports' as a matter 'of safety, fairness, dignity, and truth.' The order, titled 'Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports,' states that it is government policy to rescind federal funds from schools 'that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities.' The administration has aggressively pursued the issue, which is one of Trump's top campaign promises. The Education Department since January has opened more than two dozen investigations into states, school districts and athletic associations that it says are violating federal sex discrimination laws by allowing trans athletes to participate in girls' and women's athletic events. The Department of Justice announced a civil lawsuit against Maine's Department of Education in April after the state repeatedly defied the Trump administration's orders to bar transgender student-athletes from girls' sports. On Monday, California officials sued the Trump administration 'in anticipation of imminent legal retaliation' against the state's school systems after a transgender 16-year-old was allowed to compete in California's girls' high school track-and-field finals against Trump's demands. Support for transgender athletes has fallen in recent years. When Gallup first asked participants whether trans people should be allowed to compete in line with their gender identity for the first time in 2021, support was 10 percentage points higher than it was in Tuesday's survey. Much of that change has been driven by Democrats and independents, according to Gallup. Support among Democrats sank from 55 percent in 2021 to 45 percent in 2025 and from 33 percent to 23 percent among independents. Americans' views on whether it is 'morally acceptable' for a person to change their gender has also declined since 2021, when Gallup first posed the question, slipping 6 percentage points to 40 percent, according to Tuesday's survey. Split by political affiliation, Republicans' opinion on the topic has changed the most, falling 13 points over four years to 9 percent. At 64 percent, Americans are more likely to view 'gay or lesbian relations' as morally acceptable, according to Gallup. In a May 29 survey released by the group, support for same-sex marriage among Republicans fell to a near-30-year low. Participants in Tuesday's survey were asked for the first time about the causes of being transgender. Gallup has asked about the causes of being gay or lesbian since 1977. Roughly 50 percent of Americans said external factors like environment and upbringing had a greater influence on gender identity than biological factors, which 30 percent said were behind a person's being transgender. Seven percent said both could be plausible factors, 4 percent said neither had a significant influence, and 9 percent had no opinion. Forty-five percent of respondents said gay or lesbian people are born, and 38 percent said external influences determine sexual orientation. Most Democrats, at 57 percent, think a person is born transgender, while 76 percent of Republicans think being transgender is the result of a person's upbringing or environment. Seventy-four percent of Democrats said they believe people are also born gay or lesbian, while 62 percent of Republicans said external factors are more likely to influence a person's sexual orientation.
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Business Standard
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Trump's travel ban on a dozen countries set to take effect on Monday
President Donald Trump is resurrecting the travel ban policy from his first term, signing a proclamation Wednesday night preventing people from a dozen countries from entering the United States. The countries include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. In addition to the ban, which takes effect at 12:01 a.m. Monday, there will be heightened restrictions on visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people, Trump said in his proclamation. The list results from a January 20 executive order Trump issued requiring the departments of State and Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence to compile a report on hostile attitudes toward the U.S. and whether entry from certain countries represented a national security risk. During his first term, Trump issued an executive order in January 2017 banning travel to the U.S. by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. It was one of the most chaotic and confusing moments of his young presidency. Travellers from those nations were either barred from getting on their flights to the US or detained at U.S. airports after they landed. They included students and faculty as well as businesspeople, tourists and people visiting friends and family. The order, often referred to as the Muslim ban or the travel ban, was retooled amid legal challenges, until a version was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. The ban affected various categories of travellers and immigrants from Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Libya, plus North Koreans and some Venezuelan government officials and their families. Trump and others have defended the initial ban on national security grounds, arguing it was aimed at protecting the country and not founded on anti-Muslim bias. However, the president had called for an explicit ban on Muslims during his first campaign for the White House.
05-06-2025
- Politics
Governments scramble to understand Trump's latest travel ban before it takes effect Monday
WASHINGTON -- Governments of 12 countries whose citizens will be banned from visiting the United States beginning next week scrambled on Thursday to understand President Donald Trump's latest move to resurrect a hallmark policy of his first term. The ban takes effect Monday at 12:01 a.m., a cushion that may avoid the chaos that unfolded at airports nationwide when a similar measure took effect with virtually no notice in 2017. Trump, who signaled plans for a new ban upon taking office again in January, appears to be on firmer ground this time after the Supreme Court sided with him. Some of the 12 countries also appeared on the list of banned countries in the Republican president's first term. The new ban targets Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. There will also be heightened restrictions on visitors from seven other countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. But North Korea and Syria, which were on the banned list in the first Trump administration, were spared this time. Trump tied the new ban to Sunday's terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, saying it underscored the dangers posed by some visitors who overstay visas. The suspect in the attack is from Egypt, which is not on Trump's restricted list. The Department of Homeland Security says he overstayed a tourist visa. The travel ban results from a Jan. 20 executive order Trump issued requiring the departments of State and Homeland Security and the director of national intelligence to compile a report on 'hostile attitudes' toward the U.S. and whether entry from certain countries represented a national security risk. Trump said some countries had 'deficient' screening and vetting or have historically refused to take back their own citizens. His findings rely extensively on an annual Homeland Security report of visa overstays of tourists, business visitors and students who arrive by air and sea, singling out countries with high percentages of those remaining after their visas expired. Capturing overstay rates has riddled experts for decades, but the government has made a limited attempt every year since 2016. Trump's proclamation cites overstay rates for eight of the 12 banned countries and all seven restricted ones. While Trump's list captures many of the most egregious offenders, it omits others. Djibouti, for example, had a 23..9% overstay rate among business visitors and tourists in the 12-month period through September 2023, higher than seven countries on the banned list and six countries on the restricted list. The findings are 'based on sketchy data and a misguided concept of collective punishment,' said Doug Rand, a former Biden administration official at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Venezuela's interior minister, Diosdado Cabello, said being in the United States is a 'great risk' and called anyone who travels to the U.S. 'a fool.' The decision is a significant blow to Venezuelans who were already limited in their U.S. travel plans since both governments broke diplomatic relations in 2019. 'If you are a fool, then go to the United States,' Cabello said. The African Union Commission, meanwhile, asked the Trump administration to reconsider, saying it was appealing to the United States to exercise its sovereign right to protect its borders and ensure the security of its citizens 'in a manner that is balanced, evidence-based, and reflective of the long-standing partnership between the United States and Africa.' International aid groups and refugee resettlement organizations took a harsher tone: 'This policy is not about national security — it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States,' said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America. A travel agent in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, said the policy threatens the travel and service industry. 'The United States is home to the largest Somali diaspora in the world, and for years it has been one of our most active and reliable destinations," said Bashir Farah Ali, manager of Kofi Express Travel Services. 'Every month I facilitated travel for at least 10 clients, mostly government officials attending conferences, diplomatic meetings, or U.N. events, as well as ordinary citizens traveling to reunite with their families after years of separation." News of the new Trump travel ban came as a shock to many in Iran despite the decades of enmity between the two countries. Reports suggest thousands of university students each year travel to America to study, and others have extended families living in America, some of whom fled after the initial 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew the shah. 'My elder daughter got a bachelor's degree from a top Iranian university and planned to continue in the U.S., but now she is badly distressed,' said Nasrin Lajvardi, a 56-year-old mother of two. While tensions also remain high as negotiations over Iran's nuclear program have yet to reach any agreement, Tehran resident Mehri Soltani offered rare support for Trump's decision. 'Those who have family members in the U.S, it's their right to go, but a bunch of bad people and terrorists and murderers want to go there as well,' he said. Outside the former U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, a Taliban guard expressed his disappointment in Trump's decision. 'America has no right to do this and implement this ban,' Ilias Kakal said. 'America has to cancel it.' In Afghanistan's capital, travel agents pointed out the ban would have little practical effect as Afghan passport holders had been facing problems in getting U.S. visas anyway for years. Since the Taliban took over the country in 2021, only Afghans with foreign passports or green cards were able to travel to the United States with any ease, they said, while even those applying for special visas due to their work with U.S. forces in Afghanistan in previous years were facing problems. During his first term, Trump issued an executive order in January 2017 banning travel to the U.S. by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries. It was one of the most chaotic and confusing moments of his young presidency. The order, often referred to as the 'Muslim ban' or the 'travel ban,' was retooled amid legal challenges, until a version was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. Trump and others have defended the initial ban on national security grounds, arguing it was aimed at protecting the country and not founded on anti-Muslim bias. However, the president had called for an explicit ban on Muslims during his first campaign for the White House. ___ ___
Hamilton Spectator
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Trump banned citizens of 12 countries from entering the U.S. Here's what to know
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Citing national security concerns, President Donald Trump on Wednesday banned citizens of 12 countries, primarily in Africa and the Middle East, from entering the United States and restricted access for citizens of seven other nations, resurrecting and expanding a hallmark policy of his first term. The travel ban applies to citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The policy change restricts entry for citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela who are outside the U.S. and do not hold a valid visa. The policy takes effect Monday at 12:01 a.m. and does not have an end date. Here's what to know about the new rules: How Trump justified the ban Since returning to the White House, Trump has launched an unprecedented campaign of immigration enforcement that has pushed the limits of executive power and clashed with federal judges trying to restrain him . The travel ban results from a Jan. 20 executive order Trump issued requiring the departments of State and Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence to compile a report on 'hostile attitudes' toward the U.S. The aim is to 'protect its citizens from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes,' the administration said. In a video released on social media, Trump tied the new ban to a terror attack Sunday in Boulder, Colorado , saying it underscored the dangers posed by some visitors who overstay visas . The suspect in the attack is from Egypt, a country that is not on Trump's restricted list. The Department of Homeland Security says he overstayed a tourist visa. Who is exempt from the ban 1. Lawful residents: citizens of designated countries who have obtained legal residency in the U.S.; 2. Dual citizens: U.S. citizens who also have citizenship of one of the banned countries; 3. Some athletes: athletes and their coaches traveling to the U.S. for the World Cup, Olympics or other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State; 4. Afghans who worked for the U.S. government or its allies in Afghanistan and are holders of Afghan Special Immigrant Visas; 5. Iranians belonging to an ethnic or religious minority who are fleeing prosecution; 6. Certain foreign national employees of the U.S. government who have served abroad for at least 15 years and their spouses and children; 7. Refugees: Those who were granted asylum or admitted to the U.S. as refugees before the ban entered into force; 8. Individuals with U.S. family members who apply for visas in connection to their spouses, children or parents; 9. Diplomats and foreign government officials on official visits; 10. Those transiting the U.S. to the U.N. headquarters solely for official business related to the U.N.; 11. Representatives of international organizations and NATO on official visits in the U.S.; 12. Children adopted by U.S. citizens. Which countries are affected Trump said nationals of countries included in the ban pose 'terrorism-related' and 'public-safety' risks, as well as risks of overystaying their visas. He also said some of these countries had 'deficient' screening and vetting or have historically refused to take back their own citizens. His findings rely extensively on an annual Homeland Security report of visa overstays of tourists, business visitors and students who arrive by air and sea, singling out countries with high percentages of remaining after their visas expired. 'We don't want them,' Trump said. The inclusion of Afghanistan angered some supporters who have worked to resettle its people. The ban makes exceptions for Afghans on Special Immigrant Visas, generally people who worked most closely with the U.S. government during the two-decade war there. The list can be changed, the administration said in a document circulated Wednesday evening, if authorities of designated countries make 'material improvements' to their own rules and procedures. New countries can be added 'as threats emerge around the world.' Early reactions to the ban International aid groups and refugee resettlement organizations roundly condemned the new ban. 'This policy is not about national security — it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States,' said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America. The African Union Commission expressed concern Thursday about the 'the potential negative impact' of the ban on educational exchanges, business ties and broader diplomatic relations. 'The African Union Commission respectfully calls upon the U.S. administration to consider adopting a more consultative approach and to engage in constructive dialogue with the countries concerned,' the commission said in a statement. How the ban is different from 2017 During his first term, Trump issued an executive order in January 2017 banning travel to the U.S. by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries including Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. It was one of the most chaotic and confusing moments of his young presidency. Travelers from those nations were either barred from getting on their flights to the U.S. or detained at U.S. airports after they landed. They included students and faculty, as well as businesspeople, tourists and people visiting friends and family. The order, often referred to as the 'Muslim ban' or the 'travel ban,' was retooled amid legal challenges until a version was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. The ban affected various categories of travelers and immigrants from Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Libya, plus North Koreans and some Venezuelan government officials and their families. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
