A Burmese American woman, eager to bring her siblings to the United States from Myanmar, is facing an emotional setback due to President Donald Trump’s recently implemented travel ban affecting her homeland.
For over 15 years, she has been waiting for her brother and sister-in-law to obtain visas so they could escape the turmoil in Myanmar, particularly during the violent military rule that has plagued the country since the 1990s.
Just as she was making plans to reunite—with plane tickets purchased—news of the travel ban broke, effectively preventing her siblings from entering the United States.
The couple, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions, had sponsored her brother so he and his family could find safety and stability in the U.S.
Their hope to bring his adult children along was fueled by the desire to avoid the mandatory military service imposed during Myanmar’s ongoing civil war.
With the travel ban now in effect, they articulated their disappointment, noting how it further complicates their efforts to escape a dangerous situation.
“It’s really frustrating because we were on the cusp of securing their safety to leave that situation,” her husband expressed, reflecting on the sudden shift in their circumstances.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended the travel restrictions, stating they were in the “best interest of the American people and their safety.”
Jackson noted that these travel limitations are necessary for countries characterized by insufficient vetting and high rates of visa overstays, or those lacking security measures to ensure identity verification.
The new restrictions prohibit entry from Myanmar and other nations, including Afghanistan, Haiti, and Yemen, among others.
According to the proclamation made on Wednesday by President Trump, these measures were justified by the untenable visa situations in these countries, where some refusals to accept their citizens and unacceptable overstay rates were cited.
Interestingly, the proclamation maintains that individuals can still apply for refugee status, ensuring there are avenues for those facing extraordinary circumstances.
However, many fear this policy may lead to further restrictions, as President Trump had already tightened admissions for refugees in nearly all nations, including Myanmar.
This situation is compounded by a Supreme Court ruling allowing the Trump administration to revoke the temporary legal status for over 500,000 immigrants, leaving many facing deportation.
In fiscal year 2023, the U.S. issued only 13,284 visas to Myanmar, with a significant number allocated towards business and tourism, while 1,384 overstays prompted scrutiny regarding the country’s visa issuance process.
The travel ban arrives as Myanmar continues to grapple with a violent military regime that intensified its aggression after seizing control from the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in a coup in 2021.
Since then, the armed forces have inflicted severe human rights violations, including the killing of civilians and the destruction of communities, resulting in millions being displaced.
UN special rapporteur Tom Andrews stated, “Junta forces have slaughtered thousands of civilians, bombed and burned villages, and displaced millions of people.
More than 20,000 political prisoners remain behind bars. The economy and public services have collapsed. Famine and starvation loom over large parts of the population.”
Despite having previously obtained visas prior to the ban, confusion continues over how this policy will be enforced, striking fear into the hearts of many, including the Burmese American couple.
The husband expressed that the unpredictability of the policy could lead to disastrous outcomes if family members were unjustly detained based on bureaucratic errors or misunderstandings.
Feeling the weight of their long-sought reunification, the woman recalled the dire circumstances in Myanmar when she immigrated in the late 1990s.
She had initiated the visa application process for her brother shortly after becoming a U.S. citizen, driven by a desire to create a better future for her family.
“In Myanmar, their circumstances at that time were very, very bad. There was no future for them, no prosperity,” she explained regarding her brother’s motives to migrate.
After many years in limbo, her family had believed the visa process was progressing; however, severe delays and miscommunication led them to believe everything was in order.
Unfortunately, the ongoing crisis in Myanmar escalated before the visa was approved, resulting in her brother’s children aging out of the application, complicating their move to the U.S.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations stipulate that those who turn 21 before receiving approval for permanent residency are no longer classified as children, necessitating a new application altogether and prolonging the immigration process significantly.
At this stage, her brother and sister-in-law are considering risking detention to access the American immigration systems, which may offer them a safer path to bring their children to the U.S. despite the dangers ahead.
“My brother and sister-in-law, their primary reason for wanting to come here was for their kids,” the woman shared.
However, the military draft currently in effect in Myanmar amplifies their fears, as the new travel ban adds additional hurdles to their attempts to escape.
Quyen Dinh, executive director of the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, weighed in on the larger implications of the travel ban, considering it part of the “engine of Trump’s mass deportation machine.”
As Dinh articulated, the policies serve to demonize immigrant families, jeopardizing their unity, particularly in a world fraught with danger.
“This policy perpetuates the violence that is happening across the world, instead of fostering peace or humanitarian relief,” she stated.
The transformation of the U.S. into a country issuing travel bans raises concerns regarding its status as a humanitarian leader on the global stage.
As the couple assesses their ongoing plight, they continue to advocate for their relatives, emphasizing the unjust nature of these immigration policies.
“They’ve done nothing wrong,” the woman’s husband concluded, reflective of the broader struggles many families face amid restrictive immigration laws.
Ultimately, the couple remains resolute, hoping for a resolution that allows their family the safety and stability they have long sought in the United States.
image source from：https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/trump-travel-ban-myanmar-civil-war-visa-rcna211500
