ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – On Thursday, a wave of criticism emerged from the Muslim community and various advocacy groups in response to the travel ban signed by President Donald Trump the previous day.
This ban, which is set to take effect on Monday, June 9, bars individuals from twelve specific countries, predominantly located in the Middle East and Africa, from entering the United States.
The countries listed in the travel ban include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Additionally, seven other countries—Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—will face partial restrictions concerning their citizens’ entry into the U.S.
Aaron Butler, managing attorney for the Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), voiced the deep concerns that have arisen within the Muslim-American community.
“Since the signing of the travel ban, we have received calls from anxious Muslim community members,” Butler stated.
He described the prevailing emotions among community members as “tremendous anxiety, fear, and trepidation,” noting that many individuals have close family ties in the affected countries.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also condemned the travel ban in a statement to Atlanta News First on Thursday.
“This latest proclamation is an attempt to further eviscerate lawful immigration pathways under the false guise of national security,” said Sarah Mehta, ACLU’s deputy director of Policy and Government Affairs for Immigration.
Mehta added, “We saw the chaos that ensued from the first Trump administration’s Muslim ban, and this executive order will only build on that reign of terror to target people solely based on their nationality or religious beliefs.”
President Trump defended the ban by stating that it was necessary to protect Americans, claiming that certain countries were exploiting the U.S. visa system.
Omar Shekhey, executive director of the Somali-American Community Center, expressed the un-American nature of generalizing a whole country for national security purposes.
“I can understand case-by-case assessments, vetting, and strong background checks,” Shekhey said, reflecting on his experience as a U.S. citizen since 1989 after moving to Atlanta for his education.
Despite acknowledging issues in Somalia and other Muslim-majority countries, Shekhey stressed that banning entire nations is not a viable solution.
He pointed out that community members have been reaching out to him for guidance on how to navigate these changes, particularly regarding family reunifications.
“We have cases where people want to bring their spouse, their children, their elderly parents, their siblings. All this is going to change,” Shekhey lamented.
The travel ban does include exemptions for lawful permanent U.S. residents and visa holders, as well as individuals who were granted asylum or admitted to the U.S. as refugees prior to the ban.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice also spoke out against the ban on Thursday.
“Immigration is not a crime – it’s a human right. We have a moral and legal duty to protect families fleeing war, persecution, and violence, especially when U.S. foreign policy and military activity plays a driving role in their displacement,” stated Executive Director Murtaza Khwaja.
Khwaja emphasized that “this ban doesn’t make us safer – it makes us smaller.”
The Trump administration mentioned that countries currently on the banned list could be removed in the future, with possibilities for adding new countries as well.
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