Photo: Emma Friedman/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — President Trump's travel bans and visa restrictions against 19 countries go into effect on Monday. The restrictions primarily target citizens from the Middle East and Africa.
The proclamation issued on June 4 prohibits entry for foreign nationals from Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, the Republic of Congo, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The order also includes partial travel and visa restrictions against Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
Jay, a resident from Needham, is not happy about Haiti being on the list.
"I'm certainly not in favor of it because we gotta travel there. Our families have to connect and there is business to be done. So I don't think this is a positive thing."
Citing national security threats and data from the Department of Homeland Security, the order lists high visa overstay rates, inadequate vetting and screening policies, and failure to cooperate with the U.S. government as the reasons behind the ban.
However, not all Bostonians share the same sentiment as Jay.
"We gotta keep our border safe. I know that the travel ban is what President Trump wants to do. We just have to abide by it," commented one local resident.
Data from the American Immigration Council suggests the travel restrictions will affect the overall economy of the U.S. According to the report, at least 298,600 noncitizens who arrived in 2022 from countries currently listed on the travel ban, contributed over $715 million in federal, state, and local taxes and held $2.5 billion in spending power. The report also highlights other potential consequences of the ban, including ramifications for international transportation and supply chains, as well as limiting supporters' participation in global events like the World Cup and the Olympics, which are scheduled to take place in the U.S. during Mr. Trump's term.
The order does not impact foreign nationals from the listed countries who had valid visas before the travel ban went into effect.
Last month, the president expedited the entry of 59 white South Africans under his new refugee initiative after canceling all the other U.S. refugee programs, pushing them ahead of those currently seeking asylum while undergoing an extensive vetting process. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau welcomed the white Afrikaners before claiming they didn't pose a challenge to national security, and they could easily assimilate into the country.
WBZ’s James Rojas (@JamesRojas.bsky.social) reports.