Hope For Nigeria as US Congress Sets To Nullify Visa Ban

Speaker of US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi on Saturday February 1, slammed President Donald Trump over the addition of Nigeria and 5 other countries to US travel ban list.

Pelosi stated that Trump Administration’s expansion of the travel ban list is outrageous, threatens security, values and the rule of law in the North-American country.

In her statement, the House Speaker said they will be passing a “no ban act” against the immigrant visa ban to prohibit religious discrimination in America’s immigration system, and also limit the President’s ability to impose such restrictions she described as “biased and bigoted”.

Pelosi’s statement read;

“The Trump Administration’s expansion of its outrageous, un-American travel ban threatens our security, our values and the rule of law.  The sweeping rule, barring more than 350 million individuals from predominantly African nations from traveling to the United States, is discrimination disguised as policy.

“America’s strength has always been as a beacon of hope and opportunity for people around the world, whose dreams and aspirations have enriched our nation and made America more American.  With this latest callous decision, the President has doubled down on his cruelty and further undermined our global leadership, our Constitution and our proud heritage as a nation of immigrants.

“In the Congress and in the Courts, House Democrats will continue to oppose the Administration’s dangerous anti-immigrant agenda.  In the coming weeks, the House Judiciary Committee will mark-up and bring to the Floor the NO BAN Act to prohibit religious discrimination in our immigration system and limit the President’s ability to impose such biased and bigoted restrictions.  We will never allow hatred or bigotry to define our nation or destroy our values.”

Friday’s proclamation will suspend immigrant visas for nationals of Nigeria, Myanmar, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Sudan and Tanzania. The restriction only applies to those seeking to live in the U.S. permanently rather than temporary residence. It will also restrict diversity visas for nationals of Sudan and Tanzania.