Refugee Council USA Condemns Discriminatory Travel Ban as Betrayal of American Values and Humanitarian Commitments

Washington, DC – Refugee Council USA (RCUSA) strongly condemns President Trump’s proclamation, signed June 4th and set to go into effect on Monday June 9th, which will fully restrict and limit travel to the United States by nationals from twelve countries, including Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The ban also partially restricts and limits the entry of nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. This ban disproportionately targets Muslim-majority nations and represents an escalation of this administration’s divisive and punitive anti-immigrant and anti-refugee policies.

“The travel ban is a policy of bigotry and hate. RCUSA is appalled by the latest xenophobic, discriminatory, and morally repugnant travel ban that will prevent family reunification, abandon those fleeing violence and instability, and harm refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrant and non-immigrant populations. Bans do nothing to make our country secure, but rather undermine our national security and arbitrarily target those most in need of protection. RCUSA urges Congress to publicly oppose this unjust and harmful travel ban – and demand that the administration halt this discriminatory policy, protect refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants, and forcibly displaced populations, and uphold the rights of all people, regardless of their nationality or religion,” said John Slocum, Executive Director, RCUSA.

Yesterday’s proclamation is reminiscent of the first Trump administration’s Muslim ban and other travel bans. Although Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders (SIVs) are exempt from the restrictions imposed by this new travel ban, other at-risk Afghans who assisted the U.S. mission will be impacted. Many ban-affected Afghans are in life-threatening and unstable situations, either within Taliban-controlled Afghanistan or living precariously and facing danger in other countries. We also recognize this effort is part of a broader attack against refugees, asylum seekers, individuals with temporary protections like humanitarian parole or Temporary Protected Status, and newcomer and longtime immigrant communities.

The proclamation claims that none of the included provisions may be used to limit a person’s ability to seek refugee status or asylum. However, it remains unclear whether the ban will nonetheless restrict access to refugee resettlement and asylum for nationals of listed countries. Countless vulnerable families in need of protection will face more barriers to escaping persecution and be cut off from seeking safety in the United States. The ban will prolong the agonizing uncertainty facing families separated across borders, impeding the ability of families seeking admission to the United States to reunify with their loved ones already here. 

More information about the travel ban is available here.

Media Contact: Mariam Sayeed, msayeed@rcusa.org

RCUSA is a diverse coalition advocating for just and humane laws and policies, and the promotion of dialogue and communication among government, civil society, and those who need protection and welcome. Individual RCUSA members do not all address all refugee-related issues, nor do all individual members approach common refugee-related issues identically.

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