The San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA) today welcomed President Joe Biden’s announced termination — on his first day in office — of the previous administration’s discriminatory Muslim and African Bans.
Zahra Billoo, Executive Director of the San Francisco Bay Area office of CAIR, said:
“Today we correct the course of so many disrupted lives, in the U.S. and across the world. Tens of thousands of impacted individuals will now have the chance to be with their families during cherished and challenging times. For millions more, the message that Islamophobic immigration policies will not be tolerated will resonate deeply. While we know our work is far from over, today we celebrate the heroic efforts undertaken by so many over the last several years in our effort to repeal the Muslim and African Bans.”
BACKGROUND:
First authorized on January 27, 2017, the travel ban was amended several times to place varying levels of discriminatory travel restrictions on mostly Muslim and African citizens and government officials from Burma, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Nigeria, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Tanzania, Venezuela, and Yemen.
Because of the ban families have been ripped apart, students have been deprived of educational opportunities, the sick have been blocked from receiving treatment, talented workers have lost out on jobs, and refugees have been trapped in dangerous conditions. CAIR-LA urges the Biden administration to work with the impacted communities to determine how to holistically address the damage already done by the Muslim Ban and how to help those who were denied entry into the United States.
In December, CAIR publicly released its report, “Biden-Harris Administration – The First 100 Days – Restoring the Rights of American Muslims and Advancing Justice for all Americans.” Endorsed by the U.S. Council of Muslim Organization, these recommendations address the concerns of the American Muslim community in confronting racial and religious discrimination, ending unconstitutional federal law enforcement programs, and elevating issues important to our community and our neighbors.