Statement of Mary Meg McCarthy, Executive Director, National Immigrant Justice Center
CHICAGO - The administration’s updated travel ban still primarily targets predominantly Muslim countries and, despite the administration’s rhetoric, still threatens to put at risk asylum seekers fleeing persecution and war. Extending this threat to the few North Koreans who manage to escape that country’s oppressive regime makes the policy even less humane. This proclamation is still driven by the same animus as its two predecessor versions; as a country we cannot stand for this Muslim ban just as we could not stand for its prior iterations.
The implementation of the new travel ban is far from clear. What is clear is that this ban still harms individuals and families trying to visit or reunite with loved ones, including people waiting in dangerous situations for the opportunity to join refugees and asylum seekers already in the United States. NIJC will issue analysis and guidance as the details of this ban become known.