Trump tries again with his Muslim travel ban
DonalD Trump yesterday signed off a watered-down ban on visitors from mainly Muslim countries in a second attempt to push through an initiative that sparked worldwide protests.
Iraq has been removed amid fears its inclusion would undermine its fight against IS, while Syrian refugees will no longer face an indefinite ban.
In an effort to pre-empt one of the legal challenges that scuppered the first version of the clampdown, the new version scraps a provision that explicitly protects non-Muslim religious minorities.
Mr Trump wanted to give priority to Christian refugees but critics claimed that was unconstitutional.
The new order, which will be introduced over the next two weeks and revokes the one signed in January, will impose a 90day entry ban on people from Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen and libya as the US works out how to improve its anti-ter-
‘Exploit to destructive ends’
ror vetting procedures. It exempts permanent legal residents, anyone who holds a valid visa and dual nationals who use another passport.
White House sources said Mr Trump didn’t want to replace the original, chaotically implemented executive order but was reportedly persuaded by his legal team to scrap it and start again.
and, in contrast to the usual fanfare surrounding Mr Trump’s signing of executive orders, his press office simply tweeted a picture of him doing it in the oval office.
Instead, three cabinet members gave a press conference in which they took no questions about the revised order.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters: ‘ To our allies and partners around the world, please understand this order is part of our ongoing efforts to eliminate vulnerabilities that radical Islamist terrorists can and will exploit for destructive ends.’
attorney General Jeff Sessions added that three of the affected countries were state sponsors of terrorism and the others provided havens for terror groups.
He said that the new order provided a ‘needed pause so we can carefully review how we screen people coming from these countries of concern’.