Muslim and Immigrant Rights’ Groups Urge Biden Administration To Take More Action to Reunite Families On One Year Anniversary of Muslim Ban Rescission
Today, over 100 organizations sent a letter, led by the No Muslim Ban Ever Campaign and the National Iranian American Council, to the Biden administration calling for immediate relief to those still harmed by the Muslim and African ban. The full letter can be found here.
One year ago, President Biden rescinded Trump’s discriminatory Muslim and African bans, which barred certain nationals from Burma (Myanmar), Eritrea, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, and Yemen from entering the United States. While this move is praised by the signers of this letter, the victory was short-lived, as most of the families and individuals impacted by the ban remain separated to this day. The letter details 13 policy proposals that would help the Biden administration take large strides to right the wrongs of the Trump administration by providing clarity for impacted communities; redressing the harm for those who were denied visas, including those who won the diversity visa lottery; restoring consular services; and addressing the harmful policies that laid ground for Trump’s bans and continue to leave paths for future administrations to re-implement his legacy.
NIAC and co-leading organizations of the No Muslim Ban Ever coalition issued the following statements:
“While we are grateful to President Biden for rescinding the Muslim and African ban, it’s unfortunately still not enough. From the lack of consular services to the absence of clear guidance for those who had been denied under the ban and so much more, our communities are still facing barriers to obtaining visas. Where the rescission should have been a beacon of hope for those who were denied under the ban, many have instead given up on their dreams of coming to the United States. The Biden administration must take immediate action to right these wrongs by following through on the recommendations listed in this letter,” said Donna Farvard, Organizing Director of the National Iranian American Council.
“One year has passed since Trump’s Muslim and African bans were reversed–but time has not served to heal families who remain separated. The Biden administration must act now to provide relief to those whose lives are still on hold, facing often insurmountable barriers to reunite with their loved ones. Community members and families have acted courageously in the face of xenophobia, separation, and stigma, and will continue to call for the reunification they deserve,” said Aarti Kohli, Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus.
“While we applaud President Biden for taking swift action and rescinding the Muslim Ban Day One into his presidency, there is still more work to be done. A year later, families continue to be separated from their loved ones due to the Trump administration’s detrimental actions unfairly targeting Muslim and African communities. These policy proposals are critical to restoring safety and unity for the countless immigrant families impacted,” said Zahra Billoo, Executive Director of Council on American Islamic Relations-San Francisco Bay Area
“One year after President Biden rescinded the Muslim and African bans on his first day in office, it is unacceptable that families separated under these draconian Trump policies remain apart and in limbo. Keeping the promise to rescind the bans was a laudable first step and a hard-won victory by and for directly impacted communities. We urge the Biden administration to fully follow through on his campaign promises, provide meaningful relief, and restore due process for those impacted by these bans so our country can once again be a beacon of hope for those seeking a better life,” said Marielena Hincapié, Executive Director of the National Immigration Law Center.
“We were not looking for President Biden to just put ink to paper, we need swift and tangible action to correct the harm inflicted on our communities by Trump’s Muslim and African ban. The time to reunite families and restore due process to those impacted is now and if the White House fails to do this, the rescindment becomes nothing more than a broken promise,” said Linda Sarsour, Executive Director of MPower Change.
Starting January 24, The No Muslim Ban Ever Coalition will be leading a digital week of action to build momentum off of this letter, mobilizing community members to call on the Biden administration to take swift action to redress the harms of the Muslim and African bans. The week will also feature an expert panel on the state of the ban one year after the rescission on Wednesday January 26 at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT, which will be live streamed on Facebook.
Again, you can read the full organization letter here.
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The No Muslim Ban Ever campaign is led by Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus, Council on American-Islamic Relations-San Francisco Bay Area, MPower Change, and the National Immigration Law Center. It has been endorsed by more than 100 leading civil and human rights organizations. The National Iranian American Council is the largest grassroots Iranian-American organization and is dedicated to building political power for the Iranian-American community to advance peace & diplomacy, secure equitable immigration policies, and protect the civil rights of all Americans.