The Progressive

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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

SUSANA FLORES, (915) 525 2434, susana@communicationsshop.us

FERNANDA DURAND, fernanda@communicationsshop.us

NPNA Condemns Expanded Travel Ban as Back-Handed Attempt to Dismantle Refugee Programs

WASHINGTON

The National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) today released a statement regarding a newly expanded travel ban that will leave even more refugees in peril throughout the world. The list of countries now includes Nigeria, Myanmar (also known as Burma), Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Sudan, and Tanzania.

The new rules would add immigration restrictions and even restrict travel from those countries, but not completely prohibit all citizens from entering the U.S.

Basma Alawee, former refugee and current organizer with Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC) FLIC, an NPNA Member Organization,said the following:

"While the administration continues expanding its travel ban, refugees and families remain in peril in many countries across the world. This is an outright attempt to discriminate against people on religious, racial and ethnic grounds and to dismantle the refugee resettlement program, which benefits mainly African and other Global South countries and has saved thousands of lives throughout the decades. There are people with legitimate claims of persecution who will now be left with no recourse. Whereas once the United States was the beacon of hope and freedom for the rest of the world, now the U.S. is just another nation that turns its back on people who need help most."