During the very first month of his presidency, Donald Trump targeted Muslim-majority countries by signing an executive order banning their citizens from entering the United States. Introduced as a means of “protecting the nation from foreign terrorists,” the order in actuality simply served to scrutinize millions of innocent individuals based on xenophobic fears. This targeted attack did not stop there: in 2020 Trump introduced Presidential Proclamation 9983 as an “expansion of the travel ban to include immigrant visa restrictions on six additional countries.” The proclamation also implemented excessive vetting processes for refugees.
While a visa waiver program was instituted to dilute the extreme premises of the colloquially-known “Muslim Ban”, its actual achievement in softening the prohibition of individuals' access to the country was less than adequate. Between December 2017 and January 2021, approximately 62.85 percent of applications for a visa waiver were denied due to limitations outlined in the executive order. This discriminatory policy separated families by refusing to permit Muslims entry to the United States and served as a massive blow to marginalized immigrant communities.
The now infamous Project 2025 contains a playbook detailing how to further escalate immigration policies and nearly eradicate chances for immigration reform. If a presidential candidate amenable to the tenets of Project 2025 were to be elected, we could quickly see a second-wave Muslim ban that is more aggressive and encouraging of using excessive force to achieve its goals. The Muslim ban was a complete abuse of power by our government. To prevent this disgrace from staining our country again, Congress must pass legislation that secures and emboldens a secular democracy free from discriminatory practices.
The National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants Act, or the NO BAN Act, sponsored by Sen. Chris Coons (DE) and Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), would prohibit such discrimination on the basis of religious belief. This legislation would, among other stipulations, strengthen the provisions of the Immigrant and Nationality Act by including protections from religious discrimination, repeal three previous Muslim Ban executive orders/presidential proclamations, put an end to previously-instituted excessive vetting of refugees, and restore congressional oversight of any future abusive immigration policy exerted by the federal government. You can read the bill here, and a summary of the bill here.
Congress should be committed to reforming our immigration policies and strengthening nondiscriminatory practices for all. By supporting positive immigration reform, we can protect marginalized communities and support a diverse America. Urge your Representative to Co-Sponsor and Support the NO BAN Act!
