US travel ban: Govt expands definition of ‘close relatives’
Exemptions include grandparents, stepchildren, sonsinlaw and daughtersinlaw
The US state department has expanded the definition of “close family” exempted from the temporary travel ban on visitors from six predominantly Muslim countries to include grandparents, grandchildren and other relatives of US residents.
The exemptions, as notified to US missions worldwide, now cover parents, children, siblings, sons-in-law, daughtersin-law, brothers-in-law, sistersin-law, stepchildren, grandparents, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles and fiances.
A similar dilution of restrictions has been taking place as regards laptops and other electronic devices allowed as cabin baggage on US-bound flights from West Asian countries. Saudi Arabian airlines on Monday became the last to be freed from the ban.
The restrictions were introduced in March but began to be dropped recently as the US announced new security guidelines applying to all airlines, and a revised directive was sent out by the department of homeland security last Thursday.
But these changes were not mandated by courts as has been the case with President Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban on visitors from six Muslimmajority countries — Iran, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Libya.
The expansion of the exempted list was ordered by a Hawaii court, which called the administration’s definition “the antithesis of common sense”. It found the exclusion of grandparents — the “epitome” of close family members — specially egregious.
The Trump administration has appealed against the order but has begun implementing it. “The ruling is effective immediately and we have issued instructions to our embassies and consulates to use the expanded definition when adjudicating visa cases,” the state department said.
Trump first ordered the temporary ban in January, just days after assuming office. At the time, it prevented all visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries - Iraq was the seventh - from entering the US for 90 days. Refugees from these countries were prohibited for a longer period, 120 days, and those from Syria were banned forever.
The ban rolled out to worldwide outrage and confusion and was mired in legal challenges from the night it went into effect. The administration tried again, with a narrower ban in March, which the Supreme Court partially okayed.