Chicago immigrant rights groups decry leaked Trump administration travel ban draft
Advocates supporting immigrant rights are reaffirming their commitment to protecting immigrants and refugees after a draft Trump Administration list proposing travel bans and restrictions from 43 countries was leaked earlier this month.
Several cultural and immigrant groups, including the Arab American Action Network, the United African Organization, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Centro Romero and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, held a press conference at Federal Plaza Wednesday to address the draft travel ban, which was first reported by the New York Times. A group of supporters holding signs saying "Keep families together" and "Defend sanctuary" stood behind speakers.
"This proposal will also block refugees and deny people fleeing conflict, persecution and natural disasters the opportunity to seek refuge," said Fasika Alem, programs director at the United African Organization. "This has nothing to do with national security, this is about exclusion. It is reckless, it's cruel, it's xenophobic."
The draft, which has not been officially implemented, bans all travel to the U.S. from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. It also heavily restricts travel from 32 other countries. Activists called it the latest iteration of Trump's travel ban targeting majority non-white countries. During his first term in 2017, Trump's ban on travel from a handful of majority Muslim countries triggered mass protests and court challenges.
The potential ban creates further fear and uncertainty in Chicago and beyond for immigrants who are already living on edge during the Trump presidency, activists said. It could keep people from traveling to see family for important celebrations like graduations, weddings and religious holidays, Alem said.
Though the ban hasn't gone into effect, attacks on immigrants have already begun, organizers said. A Palestinian family that arrived at O'Hare International Airport from Tel Aviv was split up, and one member was deported to Poland despite having a valid visa, according to Muhammad Sankari, lead organizer with the Arab American Action Network, who worked to get the family resources and information following the deportation.
He fears more deportations are likely.
"Unfortunately, we understand it to be part of this broader attack on immigrant communities as a whole that has been happening not only under this administration but has been escalating under this administration," Sankari said.