Foreign citizens who were affected by President Donald Trump’s executive order in January temporarily banning the entry of nationals from seven ISIS- stronghold countries will now be able to reapply for visas, provided they have proper documentation. That is because of a settlement in a case filed by two Iraqi nationals.
Hameed Khalid Darweesh and Haider Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi were detained at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York shortly after the Trump’s executive order on January 27 went into effect. The two Iraqis filed a class-action lawsuit.
The U.S. government will now issue letters to those who were earlier denied entry in the first travel ban to notify them that they can reapply.
The government’s letters will also include a list of legal service providers who will work free of charge with the applicants to assist them with the re-submission of their visas.
The settlement specified that among those who will be contacted include those who “provided contact information in visa applications” and “applied for admission at a port of entry in the United States were found inadmissible solely as a result of the Executive Order, withdrew their applications for admission, and since their withdrawal have neither entered the U.S. nor sought a visa for future travel to the U.S.”
Around 2,000 people were detained in the period of time when Trump signed the temporary travel ban and the time a judge issued a temporary stay on the ban.
It was also announced that the Department of Justice will designate a liaison to supervise the new application process for a period of three months after letters are sent out.
The Supreme Court approved parts of the President’s revised travel ban executive order issued in June and is set to hear oral arguments on the case in October.
Source:
