Immigration ban on hold

Back in 2016, U.S. District Senior Judge James Robert was in full support of “black lives matter” while in the process of hear­ing a Department of Justice lawsuit against the Seattle Police Department over racial disparities in the shootings by the po­lice. The very same “so-called judge,” as President Trump called him in a Twitter post, appointed to the bench by President George W. Bush in 2004, was respon­sible for temporarily blocking President Trump’s travel ban thereby assisting refu­gees and immigrants who were stalled at airports and war-torn nations.

As Trump’s White House was trying to reinstate the immigration ban, President Trump derided the “ridiculous” ruling that “will be overturned.” However, on Jan. 4, the government suspended the enforce­ment of the refugee and immigration ban, effectively challenging the authority of the new administration to fulfill its campaign promises. Trump had previously fired Sally Yates, who was serving as the acting attorney general after she publicly stated that the Department of Justice would not enforce the ban would not enforce the President’s executive order.

NBC News reported over the week­end of Feb. 4-5, that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) sent a note to all airlines confirming that the ban, at least for the foreseeable future, was inef­fective. NBC News also stated that all valid visas were reinstated as well. The Depart­ment of Homeland Security, too, worked in tandem with IATA when it went on to say that it had “suspended any and all actions” concerning the controversial ex­ecutive order. It is expected that traveler inspection will continue according to the standard protocol, at least for the moment.

In quick succession, airlines responded swiftly to the court order by allowing pas­sengers with valid visas to board flights, as reported by NPR.

Qatar Airways, an airline that primarily services the very countries barred by the executive order, boarded Syrian, Libyan, Iraqi, Iranian, Somali, Sudanese and Yeme­ni nationals with valid visa documents per the instructions from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. NPR reports included an announcement from Qatar Airways: “All refugees seeking admission presenting a valid, unexpired U.S. visa or Lawful Per­manent Resident card will be permitted to travel to the United States and will be pro­cessed accordingly upon arrival.”

German Airline, Lufthansa followed suit by announcing that based on the fed­eral court ruling, affected travelers will be allowed to travel to the United States. Despite the swift action executed by Luf­thansa, it still maintained that “… the final decision regarding immigration lies with the US authorities.”

Emirates and Etihad Airways will follow the same path, as was reported by Reuters. Neel Desai, a Physics PhD student quoted “The New Colossus,” the sonnet engraved on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. “The immigration ban is in strik­ing contrast to the America that once bid a ‘worldwide welcome’ to us; one and all alike.”