January 31, 2020

The Trump administration announced it is expanding its imposition of travel restrictions from the seven countries included in the Muslim Ban to also include Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania. The countries included in this expansion are all majority non-white, and have significant Muslim populations. The new restrictions will go into effect on February 22nd. 

MPAC condemns this xenophonic and hateful policy. This is not an isolated policy, but rather an extension of their broad campaign against communities of color. It is inseparable from the Trump administration’s family separation policies, including the horrific conditions at immigration detention centers. 

The third anniversary of the Muslim Ban was just noted on January 27. These travel restrictions are a manifestation of the virulent racism demonstrated by Trump administration officials like Stephen Miller, a demonstrated white nationalist, and Trump himself, whose bigotry toward one of the countries on this new list is on the public record. We cannot allow the Trump administration to continue this erratic decision making which causes real harm and perpetuates a white supremacist policy agenda.