Asian American Federation Statement on President Trump’s New Immigration Ban
New York City: On March 6th, President Trump signed an executive order that essentially revised his immigration ban from January 27th. The revised order continues to bar citizens of six Muslim-majority countries (Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen) from entering the U.S. for at least the next 90 days but has removed Iraq from the list. Additionally, green card and visa holders from those countries are explicitly exempt from the ban, which was unclear in the original order and caused widespread confusion. The new order goes into effect starting on March 16th.
The Asian American Federation strongly opposes President Trump’s new immigration ban, which upholds the intent of the original order by discriminating against those from Muslim- majority countries as well as resettlement refugees, who, while no longer permanently barred from entering the U.S., are subject to a 120-day freeze. His divisive policies have fueled anti-immigrant sentiment across the country, with tragic results for the pan-Asian American community: On February 22nd, an Indian man, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, was shot and killed in Kansas, while his friend, Alok Madasani, was injured in the same shooting. Then, on March 3rd, a Sikh man, Deep Rai, was shot in Washington. Both were told to “Get out of [the] country” or “Go back to your country” before being shot. Both incidences are being investigated as hate crimes.
The Federation will continue to stand against any federal policies that seek to divide and endanger our immigrant, Muslim, and refugee communities. We will not be silent in the face of discriminatory actions that seek to separate families and undermine the very fabric of our democratic society. Through our advocacy, policy, and community education work, we will redouble our efforts to protect the rights of the individuals and families who have enriched our country with their cultures and contributions.
CONTACT: Jo-Ann Yoo
2123445878, Ext:217
joann.yoo@aafederation.org
