Remembering the Trump Travel Ban

January 27th, 2017 was a chaotic time for most refugees as President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning refugees from entering the United States. The 120 day long ban was directed to seven nations, being Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, and Yemen. President Trump pushed the publicity of Executive Order 13769 - "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States" also known as ,"travel ban" due to national security. The vote for the travel ban ended up failing to pass the federal court review, causing the Trump administration to rework the ban twice, before finally formulating Executive Order 13769.

Executive Order 13780 is what President Trump referred to as, "A watered down, politically correct version" of the travel ban. Executive Order 13780 allowed the travel of those specific countries labeled in Executive Order 13769, but with monitored limitations, in which those refugees must possess either a visa or valid travel documents.

 Many observers call the travel ban the "Muslim Ban.” For those who have been affected by the ban, it has become a tragic and oppressing part of their lives. Although the administration claims to offer a possible “waiver” of the travel ban on a “case by case’ basis, the administration offers little to no guidance on what goes into these waiver requests. When the ban went into effect, it caused turmoil across U.S. airports and sparked panic and confusion. Hundreds of attorneys, including Ibrahim Law Office’s Michael Ibrahim, volunteered at their local airports to help provide legal representation for those immediately harmed by the ban. Michael recalls the case of an infant being detained by Customs and Border Protection for hours, individuals having their visas terminated for no justification, and the confusion caused by the sudden passing of the ban. Months after the ban, Michael advised and consulted foreign nationals from Iran, Iraq, and Syrian about their rights at the time.

Today, Iraq is no longer on the list of banned countries. Certain visa holders and lawful permanent residents do not fall within the scope of the ban. The ban affects potential entrants to the United States and those seeking visas at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.

If you or a loved on has been affected by the travel ban, or if you or a loved one are from one of the impacted countries, call Ibrahim Law Office for a consultation.