Trump's Latest Travel Ban Is No Better Than His Earlier Attempt

It's sure to disrupt many lives without making America any safer

- Patricia Lopez

President Donald Trump has resurrected the travel ban from his first term. This time, it's more expansive and better designed to withstand a judicial challenge. But it's still a solution in search of a problem—and likely to cause massive disruption for US residents with friends and family overseas.

The ban went into effect at the nation's airports last Monday, affecting 19 countries. Aside from a few narrow exceptions, travel from a dozen nations will be blocked: Afghanistan, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Another seven face partial restrictions: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

Although the first travel ban in 2017, aimed at Muslim-majority countries, sparked massive protests around America, this broader ban has met with a far more muted response. That may indicate that Americans are becoming inured to Trump's xenophobic policies. Or they may be overwhelmed by the sheer ferocity of Trump's unprecedented step of sending the Marines in to quell protests unfolding in Los Angeles, California.