President Donald Trump reinstates expired travel ban to include eight countries

RESIDENT Donald Trump wasn’t about to let his controversial travel ban expire — signing a new order restricting even more countries from entering the US.

Travellers from eight countries including North Korea will face restrictions on entry to the US under a new proclamation signed by the president.

The new rules, which will also affect citizens of Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen, will go into effect on October 18.

Sudan, which was on the original list, has since been dropped from the ban.

Officials stress that valid visas would not be revoked as a result of the proclamation. Some countries will face full bans. Others are more tailored, such as restrictions affecting Venezuela, which will only apply to certain government officials and their families.

On his way back to the White House on Sunday afternoon, Trump was asked what he thought about the stricter travel restrictions.

“The tougher the better,” he told reporters.

Speaking to Politico, an official said the addition of North Korea and Venezuela wasn’t because they were trying to make the ban seem less like a “Muslim ban”.

“The restrictions, whether previously or now, were never ever, ever based on race, religion or creed,” he told the publication.

The original travel ban, instated by Trump in March, expired this morning (Sunday night in the US), 90 days after it came into effect.

The ban, which restricted visitors from six Muslim-majority countries entering the US, sparked nationwide protests with hundreds of already-approved refugees being stuck in limbo in US airports.

It was accompanied by a 120-day block on all refugees and sparked a political uproar when Mr Trump first announced it on January 27, a week after becoming president.

The ban was frozen by courts after a weekend of chaos at airports and a barrage of lawsuits by immigration advocates and civil liberties groups.

Several states also sued to block it on grounds that it prevented legitimate visa holders, family members, US residents, students in universities and foreign workers for US companies from entering the country.
 

— With Wires