Context:

President Donald Trump's latest travel ban affecting citizens from 12 primarily African and Middle Eastern countries began with relative calm, though travelers with valid visas reported increased scrutiny at U.S. airports. The ban, intended to address deficient screening processes in certain countries, aims to withstand legal challenges by focusing on the visa application process. The new restrictions do not revoke previously issued visas but impose restrictions on applicants from specific countries unless they meet certain exemption criteria. Some individuals, like Haitian citizen Narayana Lamy, experienced delays at entry points as officials verified their eligibility, while others, like Cuban resident Luis Hernandez, faced no issues. The ban has been criticized as divisive and not truly about national security, with organizations and governments from affected countries like Haiti and Venezuela expressing concern and disappointment over the policy's implementation and its impact on their citizens.

Dive Deeper:

• The new travel ban from President Trump targets citizens from 12 mainly African and Middle Eastern countries, with increased scrutiny reported for travelers at U.S. airports, although it started without the chaos seen during the 2017 ban.

• The ban does not revoke visas already issued but imposes heightened restrictions on those from certain countries unless they meet specific exemption criteria, focusing on the visa application process to withstand potential legal challenges.

• Travelers such as Vincenta Aguilar from Guatemala, which is not on the banned list, faced intense questioning upon arrival in the U.S., highlighting the increased scrutiny even for those not directly affected by the ban.

• Critics argue that the ban sows division and vilifies communities seeking safety and opportunity in the U.S., with organizations like Oxfam America condemning it as not genuinely aimed at improving national security.

• Countries like Haiti and Venezuela expressed dismay over the restrictions, with some Venezuelans altering travel plans to circumvent the ban and the Haitian government hoping to negotiate their removal from the list.

• The ban is linked to concerns over deficient passport screening and the refusal of some countries to take back their citizens, as well as incidents like a terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado, involving a visa overstayer from a non-banned country.

• While some travelers experienced delays at entry points as officials verified their eligibility, others with valid documentation, such as Cuban citizen Luis Hernandez, faced no difficulties entering the U.S.