Preparing for a Possible Travel Ban Under the Trump Administration

President-elect Donald Trump soon will be sworn in as the forty-seventh President of the United States, and many foreign nationals are nervously waiting to see how and when he will implement many of the disruptive immigration policies that marked his first term in office. One issue of concern is that Trump may reimplement the “Muslim Ban,” which restricted entry to the U.S. from certain countries. While we cannot predict Trump’s future actions, his past actions can be instructive as to how an individual might prepare for what could come.

Muslim Travel Ban Criteria

During his first term in office, on March 6, 2017, President Trump signed Executive Order 13780, commonly referred to as the “Muslim Ban,” which restricted entry to the U.S. from numerous nations, most of which are Muslim majority countries. Importantly, the final version of this restrictive measure was reflected in Presidential Proclamation 9645 issued on September 24, 2017, which qualified that the various travel restrictions only applied to an individual who, as of the policy’s effective date, was outside of the U.S., did not have a valid visa stamp in their passport, and did not have a visa revoked or canceled by the first executive order from March 6, 2017.

How to Best Prepare for Another Muslim Ban

An individual who potentially could be subject to a new travel ban can take the following steps to prepare for another such ban. Preferably, the individual should be in the U.S. before January 20, 2025, which is when President-elect Trump will take office. If this is not possible, the individual at least should have a valid visa stamp in their passport by that date.

Conclusion

The incoming Trump Administration is almost certain to bring significant changes to current immigration law and policy. Whether a new travel ban will be imposed and, if so, what form it will take, is still unclear. The Murthy Law Firm will continue to update and inform the public on new developments and any steps an individual can take to successfully immigrate to the U.S.

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