BOOM: Trump Travel Ban Takes Effect Tonight

29 Jun, 2017 by Cassy Fiano

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New details are coming out about Trump’s travel ban, now that the Supreme Court has ruled that it can be partially implemented, overruling lower court rulings against it. And the ban will officially go into effect Thursday night.

United States embassies and consulates around the world have begun receiving guidelines from the Trump administration on how to implement the new ban. Restrictions on travel will be put into place for refugees and migrants from six majority-Muslim countries, beginning at 8:00 pm eastern standard time Thursday night.

According to a diplomatic cable, those with close family in the United States will still be allowed entry. But there are restrictions on who is considered “close family” — this is limited to parents or in-laws, spouses, both adult and minor children, and siblings. Grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, cousins, fiances, brothers-in-laws or sisters-in-laws, and other extended family members are not included.

The State Department is overseeing the implementation of the ban, after a June 26th Supreme Court decision allowed Trump’s 90-day travel ban to take place. The countries affected are Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Anyone from those countries who already has a visa will not be affected, but any new applicants will be declined, unless they can prove that they have a close family relationship with someone already living in the United States.

People looking to travel into the United States for business purposes may also have their visas approved, but they must prove a “formal, documented” relationship and not one invented so as to circumvent the travel ban. There are some exemptions in the policy, for people such as students and journalists.

Airlines also will have to find ways to satisfy the travel ban. Dubai-based Emirates, for example, has flights out of both Sudan and Iran, but said that their United States services will continue operating as planned. “All passengers must possess the appropriate travel documents, including a valid U.S. entry visa, in order to travel,” the airline said in a statement. “Emirates remains guided by the US Customs and Border Protection on this matter.” Other airlines also said that they will continue to operate as normal, provided travelers have the correct documents.

Are you glad the travel ban is finally going into effect?