Community members gathered in front of San Diego International Airport on Tuesday to protest the latest travel ban issued by the Trump administration. The rally was led by the San Diego chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and immigrant rights groups.
“This is a discriminatory, racist ban against Muslims and African countries,” said Tazheen Nizam, Executive Director of CAIR-San Diego.
The new travel restrictions went into effect on Monday. They ban or severely limit travel from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The ban also places tougher entry requirements on travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
Immigration attorney Ian Seruelo said the policy will cause serious harm. “This administration has been creating more and more barriers for people of color to move to the U.S., even for temporary visits. This ban adds another layer to that problem,” he explained.
The travel ban is especially devastating for Afghan nationals hoping to resettle in the U.S. Thousands are now left in limbo.
One of them, Muntaz Momand, has been trying to bring his family and fiancée from Afghanistan to the United States for several years. “Every time I try, I hit a new roadblock,” he said. “It’s heartbreaking.”
