President Donald Trump’s new travel ban on citizens from a dozen countries took effect Monday with relatively calm scenes at US airports. The ban targets mainly African and Middle Eastern countries but did not cause widespread chaos like its predecessor in 2017.
Citizens of countries like Guatemala, which is not on the list, reported extra scrutiny when arriving in the US with valid visas. Vincenta Aguilar, a Guatemalan citizen visiting her son in Florida, said she and her husband were subjected to three interviews by US officials before being allowed entry.
The new ban applies to citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. It also imposes restrictions on people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela who are outside the US and don’t hold a valid visa.
However, the ban does not revoke previously issued visas and travelers with these documents should be able to enter the US. Experts say the new ban is more carefully crafted than its predecessor, focusing on the visa application process to avoid court challenges.
Critics, including groups that provide aid to refugees, have denounced the travel ban as a policy that sows division and vilifies communities seeking safety and opportunity in the US. Some countries, like Haiti, have expressed concerns that the ban will disproportionately affect citizens from those nations.
Despite concerns, some citizens reported smooth entry into the US with their valid visas. The new ban is also tied to increased scrutiny of overstay rates, which has challenged experts for decades.
Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/as-trumps-new-travel-ban-begins-some-visitors-report-extra-scrutiny-at-u-s-airports