Edward Ramotowski, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services in the Bureau of Consular Affairs testified at the House Judiciary Committee that about 31,334 people have been refused entry since September 14 2019, according to CNN.
What We Know:
- Currently, citizens in countries such as Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela, and North Korea are barred from entering the United States. Chad was removed last April.
- Some visa applicants have a chance of entering if they fall under a department exception or a waiver. More than 7,600 waivers have been issued.
- Trump has denied the ban targets Muslims due to Venezuela and North Korea being on the list, according to Fox.
- Illhan Omar challenged Ramotowski, claiming that the White House pressured officials to deny waivers. Ramotowski denied these claims.
Republicans invited a literal white supremacist hate group to testify at the first ever hearing on the Muslim Ban and no one batted an eye.
…except @IlhanMN. https://t.co/FulciCyDKf
— Jeremy Slevin (@jeremyslevin) September 25, 2019
Democrats have look to overturn this with the “No Ban Act” introduced in April. It is unlikely to pass due to the Republican-held Senate.
