Trump's Ban Rule Used Against Nigerians; Groups Vow to Fight Against it
So much has been heard of the new ban rule stipulated by the new president Donald Trump but this new rule is been used against the Nigerians. Complains have been coming that
they were denied entry into the United States due to President Trump’s
travel ban on some Muslim countries, the Nigerian community in U.S says
it is prepared to legally defend any Nigerian traveller coming to the US
if targeted by immigration officials hiding under President Donald
Trump’s new travel ban on Friday.
Already, the Nigerian Lawyers Association and the
Organisation for the Advancement of Nigeria (OAN), two influential
Nigerian community associations in the U.S., have embarked on
sensitisation of Nigerians who have relatives travelling to the U.S.
On monday, the group organised two sessions of teleconferences, in which NAN's Correspondect participated with many Nigerians calling in to seek further clarification on the travel ban.
Francis James, a Member, Board of Directors of OAN, told
newsmen that U.S. law enforcement officials had become overzealous with
extreme vetting since the roll out of the order by Trump and were
sometimes going beyond their Constitutional bound.
“We are prepared to protect the rights of all Nigerian
travellers to the United States to ensure that they are not detained or
denied entry at the airports.
“We know the U.S. President has constitutional rights (to
issue executive order) and that’s what is driving the overzealous
security officers but we are saying that U.S. Constitution also forbids
discrimination on the basis of race, religion or colour.
“The President’s immigration order has now given muscles to
security officials at airports and borders and they are asking
unnecessary questions about you, where you have travelled to or your
security codes.
“They are going beyond the executive order. So to reach out
to our community, what we’re doing is to go to the airports to provide
services to Nigerians who may be affected,” he said.
While the ban did not target Nigeria, James said they had
received few reports of Nigerians who were denied entry at the airports
after what he termed “inappropriate questioning” and advised Nigerians
that they had the rights to protest against unnecessary questioning.
“This particular order does not target the country but there
could be unintended consequences over where they have travelled to
within the country.
“And so they (Nigerians) may be asked some inappropriate
questions like visits to some parts of Nigeria. Somebody said a cousin
was asked some questions and afterwards refused entry into the United
States.
“What we are doing is sharing information that Nigerians
should have handy; that the security officers don’t have the right to
ask you unnecessary questions.”
He said there were Nigerian attorneys volunteering to be at
the airports as part of the Legal Aid Society including organisations
like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), who can easily come to the aid of any Nigerian stranded at the airports.
“Basically, what you need to do is to keep them informed
that a relative is coming to the United States and to know when he or
she has arrived or will arrive.
“The law prescribes that you cannot be delayed more than six
hours. So if after six hours of arrival you have not seen your
relative, then the immigration attorneys will file for relief and they
will have to release him or her.
“So it is to be aware and inform your relatives, and also
the immigration lawyers that your relative is being detained or asked
questions that were inappropriate and they will come to their aid.”
The Nigerian community leader advised Nigerians or their
relatives who have difficulties at the airports to contact the Legal Aid
Society on: 844-955-9428 for immediate assistance.
One of OAN’s major accomplishments occurred in 1990, when it
successfully stopped major U.S. banks from denying Nigerians, banking
services because of their blanket stereotyping of Nigerian customers as
potential fraudsters.
The two sessions of the teleconferences, which would
continue on Saturday, had about 600 Nigerians who called in to seek
clarifications and advice on the travel ban, the organisers said.
James said the travel ban ‘has raised many questions and has
sparked protests around the country and other countries around the
world regarding travellers who were previously approved to come to the
United States but later detained at airports.
“This ban may also affect travellers from other countries, including Africans. Visitors, students and Green Card holders
are being aggressively vetted at airports, while Immigration Officers
are pursuing aggressive enforcement and arrests across the country.
“Please call in to this important information session to
learn your rights on how your travelling relatives and friends can
ensure they are not unlawfully denied entry into the United States,” he
advised.
The Nigerian community leader also advised the public to
help in getting the information out as quickly as possible to save
Nigerians from travelling to the U.S. from detention or deportation at
the airports.
“Since time is of the essence, please start sharing with all
your contacts and channels aggressively. Your effort may save you or
someone from serious legal issues,” James appealed.
The U.S. Government plans to consider almost all illegal
immigrants subject to deportation, but will leave protections in place
for immigrants known as “dreamers” who entered the country illegally as
children, according to official guidelines released on Tuesday.
The revised order, which Trump said would be out this week,
is reported to target only those same seven countries, namely, Iran,
Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan and Libya.
Trump's Ban Rule Used Against Nigerians; Groups Vow to Fight Against it
Reviewed by Darax Eclat
on
February 24, 2017
Rating: 5