by César Romero
Trump’s Travel Ban and Rising Concerns of Religious Discrimination
In the days following President Donald Trump’s first inauguration, his administration swiftly enacted an executive order that imposed a 90-day travel ban on individuals from seven predominantly Muslim countries: Libya, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Now, in his second term, concerns are rising that Trump’s policy of religious discrimination against Muslim-majority nations could be resurfacing.
CAIR Issues Travel Advisory for Immigrants from Muslim-Majority Countries
According to a press release from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on March 6, 2025:
“The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today issued an updated travel advisory warning lawful permanent residents, students, workers and other immigrants legally present in the United States to avoid leaving the country over the next 30 days if they are citizens of countries that may be listed in President Trump’s expected new travel ban. Potential countries targeted by the new ban could include Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Palestine/Gaza, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan,Syria, Yemen or any other country.“
March 21, 2025 Deadline: Possible Expansion of Banned Countries
The Trump Administration has set a March 21, 2025, deadline for federal agencies to report on countries with ‘deficient’ visa practices, potentially resulting in new travel restrictions for those nations. It is expected that the list of banned countries will expand to include not only those with predominantly Muslim populations but also Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Risks for Travelers and Recommendations
Individuals from these countries who are legally present in the United States should avoid international travel if possible. If the new travel ban is enacted while they are outside the country, re-entry to the U.S. could become increasingly difficult.
Although the Trump administration has not yet disclosed the full list of affected countries, all travelers are advised to exercise caution as the administration continues to pursue changes to U.S. immigration policy.
Staying Updated on Travel Ban Developments
Benach Pitney Reilly Immigration will follow up with more updates as they are released. Contact us, if you would like to discuss your case with our immigration attorneys.