By Amanda Anabeza, Courier Staff Writer
President Trump signed an executive order to ban all nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States for a minimum of the next 90 days, which took effect on January 27.
These countries – Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen – were regarded as “countries of concern” in a 2016 law concerning immigration visas. This order bans entry from those fleeing Syria indefinitely.
Not only does this affect the citizens of the seven countries, it also restricts refugees from the United States to return home for four months. The total number of refugees admitted into the U.S. would drop significantly over the course of 2017, going from the current level of 110,000 to 50,000.
Additionally, the order calls for the “suspension of issuance of visas and other immigration benefits to nationals of countries of particular concerns”. Under this condition, travelers from 38 countries that were once able to go without interviews to renew their visa are now required to have in-person interviews in order to do so.
