Five weeks ago the President signed an executive order banning travel to the U.S. by individuals from seven countries.
The order was enjoined by judges in a number of different lawsuits, for a variety of reasons such as that is covered green card holders and impermissibly sought to determine who could enter the U.S. on the basis of their religion. And other than mere assertions, the administration failed to provide any rational security-based justification for the order.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, however, country of citizenship isn’t a useful indicator of likely terrorist activity because even where foreign born violent extremists have been found here, they were “radicalized several years after their entry into the United States.”
Meanwhile the travel ban had perverse consequences as well.
As I’ve pointed out, in all of the coverage around the chaos that ensued for several days and the judicial review of the order, most people missed that the order also called for departure controls and not just controls on entry to the U.S.
Copyright: prestonia / 123RF Stock Photo
According to Politico a replacement executive order is expected to be signed on Monday — seeking to withstand judicial scrutiny.
Employees at DHS were instructed to work from home on Monday morning, according to an internal agency email sent late Friday.
White House chief strategist Steve Bannon was heading on Saturday to Mar-a-Lago “for an EO launch meeting” with a team from the Department of Justice. They will meet with DHS officials and the president, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Though the administration has claimed their travel order is necessary to protect the country from impending threats, they’ve delayed releasing the new order to maximize public relations benefit.
Signing the executive order Wednesday, as originally indicated by the White House, would have undercut the favorable coverage. The official didn’t deny the positive reception was part of the administration’s calculus in pushing back the travel ban announcement.
“We want the (executive order) to have its own ‘moment,'” the official said.
It’s expected that the new order will exempt green card holders and holders of existing valid visas. They’ll also find a way to thread the needle or drop language giving priority to Christians in Muslim countries, religious discrimination that’s been legally problematic.
Better cross the border quick.
Or a more accurate header: “Brace yourselves: New Trump Travel Ban expected to set off another round of knee-jerk, unhinged liberal hysteria”
(If you doubt me, just enjoy the comments to this comment. lol.)
Thank God for President Trump.
the ban can’t come soon enough.
It’s still a bone thrown to the filthy fat racist rednecks who swirl the bottom of his toilet bowl. The entire world is aghast that these cretins have squeezed out one worse than their idiot icon Bush.
What’s Hillaryous is that these pasty false-patriot morons with their puffed up States Rights smirks have this time been played by Russian intelligence to elect a Russian agent or dupe. As proof of how false their patriotism is, watch them demand to cover up the investigations rather than to know for sure if Agent Orange is Russian !
Those who actually fight the wars these chickenhawks bully us into remember who it was who led us into Iraq on false evidence that led to Isis. Then we get “solutions” like this that make it even worse.
@steven K …. couldn’t agree w/ you more!
I don’t get how you could have any readers in support of this ban. Don’t they want to see the world? American tourists aren’t going to get very far across this globe in we go around banning countries at random.
@Greg …. couldn’t agree w/ you more!
Thanks for posting this news, Gary. And while I wouldn’t put the point as strongly as @Greg did, I certainly share his sentiments about the irony of this attempt to block foreigners even as Trump very oddly tolerates demonstrated Russian interference with our democracy.
It’s sad that our nation of immigrants is taking these steps to shut ourselves off from the world and alienate so much of it, actually hurting the fight against terrorism by making moderate Muslims and so many other folks across the globe reluctant to cooperate with our anti-terrorism efforts. And again, more irony: the ancestors of many folks who today favor blocking Muslims encountered similar claims that they would hurt the country if allowed to come here, a generation or two or three ago.
Keep this news and your observations on it coming. It’s all very relevant from so many perspectives, not least how it affects travel to and from our country.
“radicalized several years after their entry into the United States.”
That is the problem. Even though parents may be good innocent people and realize they need to flee their Islamic terror ridden country they bring with them their Koran and bring the kids to Mosques where they can pick up the Jihad teaching.
Just when you have no wars to sell, you find Russia once again.
They always have an arch-enemy for the military industrial complex very handy.
And a brainwashed nation ready to freak out.
I hope it doesnt get out of control.
Leftist #FakeNews Politico got it wrong, why even quote them. Stave Bannon did not go to Mar-a-Lago today.
P.S.: The ban couldn’t come soon enough, and Christians should get preference over Muslims from terror hot-spots. The wire-tapping creature, Barack Insane Obama, favored Muslims over Christians.
I can’t wait to see it. Maybe Obama will release it earlier since he tapped his telephones. How much are all these trips to Mar A Lago costing us? He’s taken around 4 trips to Florida in his roughly 6 weeks in office. I feel for the citizens of Palm Beach. Having a president in town is a nightmare for traffic or getting around. It’s not really fair to the people who live there and it’s incredibly difficult for local law enforcement who have to work overtime just to handle it.
Judicial Watch got the figures from Secret Service last month. Just protecting his family’s private trips (overseas and to MaraGoGo starring Pres. Frank Drebin) is 100 million in just 2 months while Obama spent $500 million in eight years – for which Trump criticized him for having vacations!
Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/cost-of-protecting-trump-secret-service-2017-2
Thank you, Gary. +1 for @Greg, @Stvr, and @Steve.
Gary, consider starting a new blog concentrating on travel along!
Recently, your blog content has been causing eruptions from the politically hyper sensitized left and right.
I, and apparently many other readers, still would like to see your opinions and insights on travel related subjects, especially in the areas of devalued points and miles and how to maximize travel.
btw: equity markets continue to rise and my portfolios continue to respond accordingly!
Mark – I can’t get excited one way or the other about these trips and their cost. For Trump – OMG, Golf. For Obama – OMG, golf, Chicago and Hawaii (and FGS the family to China etc.). For Bush – OMG, Texas.
Whatever. These people are on duty 24/7 and it’s hard to sweat the small stuff. They don’t “punch out” while in FL or CHI, or wherever, and they still need staff because they’re 24/7.
But after a news story tonight, I really feel for the local businesses who are terribly hurt by these trips. The guy who loses $30/weekend at the local airport due to shutdown. How many others?.. Now that’s a legitimate gripe.
Guess my point is – As taxpayers we have issues on this subject that are small, and not too much to gripe about as a taxpayer in the scheme of things. But I do feel terrible for the small biz owners hammered in the onslaught. (Although it does work both ways – thinking of those who house/feed the journos in Crawford, West Palm and the like)
Trump’s already spent 100 million on personal family trips in two months, while Obama spent only $500 mil during his entire Presidency. http://www.businessinsider.com/cost-of-protecting-trump-secret-service-2017-2
It will be interesting to see US hospitality industry numbers after about 6 months of these border antics (the Muslim ban, as well as enhanced scrutiny and searches for everyone arriving). I suspect a measurable dent in US tourism from abroad is coming.
Thanks for the great Cheech video…..certainly brightened my day! CIA and FBI sees all the meetings with the Russians…..it has to go slowly so the peasants have time to assimilate their doom………
Trump prefers to spend more time in South Florida because they have one of the largest Russian populations outside of Moscow. It’s easier for his oligarch investors to sneak into Mar A Lago.
Привет, товарищ Трамп, здесь больше наличных для вас
Odd to me that a blog / site that supports travel (ing) would have commenters that are so blind to the reactions that come from people outside the U.S..
As a Nation, we have enjoyed easy travel all over the world with few limitations… often without the hassles of obtaining a visa prior to departure.
The current administrations obsession with people of Islamic faith borders on stupidity. Not to mention racial and religious intolerance and just poor business practices.
Regardless of anyone’s stance on “Nationalism” “Islamophobia” et al our own government, of which DJT is the Chief Executive of has found there is not a viable connection between nationality and likelihood to “radicalize” ( http://bigstory.ap.org/article/39f1f8e4ceed4a30a4570f693291c866/dhs-intel-report-disputes-threat-posed-travel-ban-nations ).
Commentary supporting Mr. Trump’s xenophobic pan to the ill-educated simply serves to harm all of us, most of all, those of us who can afford and enjoy travel…
We will see retaliatory Visa fees and procedures… Much like Argentina and Brazil have had in the past (first to come to mind, and yes, I know these fees served to damage their tourism industries)
More so it seems odd that Mr. Trump as a “hotelier” would choose an action that would make travel and tourism less accessible…
We live in “interesting times”
Based on a lot of these comments, I’m feeling great about spending as much time out of the USA as possible this year. Y’all have lost your feeble xenophobic minds. As a DC native, it feels like my own city has been hijacked by these radical white extremists with their racist ideology.
Alas, let’s hope the press and intelligence officials grind it out, find those Russian connections ($$) and we move on from this so I can get back to eating tacos and falafel in peace without racist jeers from deplorable passersby.
@Bannon … Wtf are you even talking about? As reported by your beloved fox news, Bannon is in Florida for the purpose quoted in the article:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/05/trump-reportedly-unhappy-about-sessions-recusal-from-russia-investigations.html
And regardless of your attempts to claim otherwise, the US is not a Christian country. The first amendment to the constitution could not be more clear on this point, and this crap about the “founding fathers” forming a Christian country is ludicrous. Thomas Payne of his Common Sense pamphlet that spurred the rebellion was an outspoken atheist. Benjamin Franklin was a Unitarian and a Deist. Thomas Jefferson wrote against Christianity, and even published a modified version of the bible that removed the supernatural aspects.
Yes, a large percentage of the founders of our country were Christians, but having been persecuted for their beliefs under the English, they too saw the need for religious independence and protections. We live in a secular society, and it’s a major and positive feature of that society. We can celebrate our differences without imposing them on others. Tolerance is an inherently American value, and one that we should be incredibly proud of!
@”d” A ban on travel to the US for certain people, who is included, imposition of exit controls at US borders.. and other countries reacting imposing new conditions on travel for US citizens… would be included in your “new blog concentrating on travel”
“Russian interference in our election”…
I’m so old that I can remember when the Democrats, Mass Media, and Left Wing Ideologues (but I repeat myself) mocked Mitt Romney for saying that ‘Russia is our greatest geo-political foe’.
I can also remember when “Hillaryous” (thanks greg) presented Putin with a “re-set button” as though she was a spokeswomen for Staples. And yes she was Hillaryous:
…………………………..
(CNN) – When it comes to Russia, the Obama administration has been talking about “pressing the reset button.” It’s meant to symbolize a possible new start in U.S./Russian relations, which “crashed” after Russia invaded Georgia last August.
So when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton greeted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva Friday before sitting down to their working dinner, she was all smiles when she presented him a small green box with a ribbon.
Lavrov opened it and, inside, there was a red button with the Russian word “peregruzka” printed on it. “I would like to present you with a little gift that represents what President Obama and Vice President Biden and I have been saying and that is: ‘We want to reset our relationship, and so we will do it together.’ …
“We worked hard to get the right Russian word. Do you think we got it?” she asked Lavrov, laughing.“You got it wrong,” said Lavrov, as both diplomats laughed.
“It should be “perezagruzka” [the Russian word for reset],” said Lavrov.”This says ‘peregruzka,’ which means ‘OVERCHARGED.’” 🙂
……………………………
I can also remember when Obama sent a message to Putin that he could do whatever Putin wanted once the election was over. From Reuters:
…………..
“President Barack Obama was caught on camera on Monday assuring outgoing Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that he will have “more flexibility” to deal with contentious issues like missile defense after the U.S. presidential election.
Obama, during talks in Seoul, urged Moscow to give him “space” until after the November ballot, and Medvedev said he would relay the message to incoming Russian president Vladimir Putin.
The unusually frank exchange came as Obama and Medvedev huddled together on the eve of a global nuclear security summit in the South Korean capital, unaware their words were being picked up by microphones as reporters were led into the room.”
…………………………..
But now that Trump won the election, these utter hypocrites have turned on a dime, and now call Russia our supreme threat, and assert without a shred of evidence that Trump is merely a puppet of Putin. This is straight out of Orwell:
“War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength. We have always been at War with East Asia.”
Meanwhile it turns out that Big Brother Obama somehow got a liberal judge to approve a FISA warrant to wiretap the Trump organization, and leak after leak is coming out from the Dems in the Deep State Intelligence Agencies that are doing this immoral surveillance.
It’s a plan for a silent Coup, where first they hoped to get some incriminating evidence from the wiretaps (they were sure AG Sessions would say something incriminating, based on their own behavior when they were in power). Then they would use that to get Sessions kicked out,. And since Obama had quietly, by executive order, changed the order of succession in the AG office, with a close Obama friend as AG, would appoint an anti-Trump Special Investigator to try to get Trump impeached:
…………………………………..
EXECUTIVE ORDER
PROVIDING AN ORDER OF SUCCESSION WITHIN
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, 5 U.S.C. 3345 et seq., it is hereby ordered that:
Section 1. Order of Succession. Subject to the provisions of section 2 of this order, the following officers, in the order listed, shall act as and perform the functions and duties of the office of Attorney General, during any period in which the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, the Associate Attorney General, and any officers designated by the Attorney General pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 508 to act as Attorney General have died, resigned, or otherwise become unable to perform the functions and duties of the office of Attorney General, until such time as at least one of the officers mentioned above is able to perform the functions and duties of that office:
(a) United States Attorney for the District of Columbia;
……………………………..
Talk about grasping at straws, even if that plan had worked, and it clearly isn’t going to work, that would have made Mike Pence POTUS. If somehow they managed to get some impeachment worthy evidence to take out both Trump and Pence, that would give us POTUS Paul Ryan.
So yes, there is surely interference going on in our electoral system, but it’s not Putin and Trump, it’s Obama and the entrenched political operatives in the FBI and possibly CIA. We just survived a serious attempt to overturn a freely and fairly elected President. Which is something that should frighten every American who believes in Democracy.
And in other breaking news of Trump’s anti-Semitic Fascism (sic), this has just come out:
“Anti-Trump Communist Arrested For Jewish Community Center Bomb Threats
A disgraced former reporter was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Friday for several bomb threats to Jewish Community Centers, Jewish schools and other Jewish organizations around the country.
Juan Thompson, 31, was arrested in St. Louis by the FBI for making at least eight bomb threats and the cyberstalking of an ex-girlfriend. Thompson was a former reporter for The Intercept, and was fired after it was discovered that he made up sources and stories, including one about Charleston shooter Dylann Roof.
The criminal complaint states that threats made to the Jewish establishments across the country by Thompson were under his name and the name of his ex-girlfriend, and occurred after the relationship ended. The threats were made by both email and phone calls.
Dozens of Jewish Community Center bomb threats have occurred throughout the country since President Donald Trump’s election, and LIBERAL GOUPS AND POLITICIANS HAVE ATTACKED TRUMP FOR THEM. The president condemned the threats during his address to Congress, but he reportedly said earlier that day, “sometimes it’s the reverse, to make people — or to make others — look bad.”
This concerted campaign on multiple levels to get a freely elected POTUS thrown out of office is just sickening… 🙁
@straver “the US is not a Christian country. The first amendment to the constitution could not be more clear on this point, and this crap about the “founding fathers” forming a Christian country is ludicrous. Thomas Payne of his Common Sense pamphlet that spurred the rebellion was an outspoken atheist”
No, not really at all. AFAIK, all of the Founding Fathers were religious.
From Wikipedia about Thomas Paine:
“He became notorious because of his pamphlets The Age of Reason, in which he advocated DEISM, promoted reason and free thought, and argued against institutionalized religion in general and Christian doctrine in particular. He also published the pamphlet Agrarian Justice (1797), discussing the origins of property, and introduced the concept of a guaranteed minimum income. In 1802, he returned to the U.S. where he died on June 8, 1809. Only six people attended his funeral as he had been ostracized for his ridicule of Christianity.”
That last sentence really sums up the beliefs of nearly everyone at the time.
True, Deism is not orthodox Christianity, but it is a form of religious belief.
Wiki on Deism:
“Deism gained prominence among intellectuals during the Age of Enlightenment, especially in Britain, France, Germany, and the United States. Typically, these had been raised as Christians and believed in one God, but they had became disenchanted with organized religion and orthodox teachings such as the Trinity, Biblical inerrancy, and the supernatural interpretation of events, such as miracles. Included in those influenced by its ideas were leaders of the American and French Revolutions.”
While the FFs believed in various forms of Christianity, ranging from orthodox to deism, they would have found the idea of the US as secular country inconceivable. While the Constitution requires Freedom of Religion, which to them meant no State established “Church”, that was never meant to mean freedom from religion. The latter is a very recent idea that would have seemed very strange to the FFs.
@ Lock Us Up … already has been a noticable travel loss in NYC the so called “Trump Slump”
Just remember these same Crazy Uncles were let out of the basement during Bush and bullied us into a War that permanently ruined our reputation in the world (wasting every drop of blood heroically shed in two World Wars), led directly to endless terrorism and Isis, took down and stopped enforcing all regulations which destroyed our economy and the nearly toppled the world financial System. They’re baaaaaack, and they read this blog!
Amazing how the sheep here forget about Libya.
@Greg If they are as bad as you assert, and “they read this blog”, then they are well aware of your comments here. So you might want to sleep some where different every night. Lest your door be bashed in at 3am by Storm troopers coming to grab you and send you to one of the secret concentration camps already being built under the pretense of “building a wall”. 😉
Once again Robert Hanson is delusional. If there is nothing there then Trump should release his tax returns and an independent prosecutor should be appointed to remove the investigation from partisan politics. Trump’s own son several years ago asserted that Russian money made up a significant portion of the funds that were raised by the Trump organization. There are too many Russian ties to Russian oligarchs associated with Putin to be ignored.
On July 22, 1968, an El Al Israel Airlines plane departing from Rome and headed for Tel Aviv, Israel, was hijacked by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine(PFLP).
My entire adult life has been disrupted by these 8th Century murdering Islamic fanatics. 50 years since the 1st El Al hijacking w/ no end in sight. It is a privilege to enter the United states, “not a right”! Build the wall and restrict who can enter. Enough is enough, enforce the laws on the books.
On the bright side, our hobby will see less demand for flights and hotel rooms. This will lead to higher CC bonuses and more award availability.
Gosh the intifada really turned Israelis into racists and xenophobes.
@Stvr 20% of the population of Israel are Arabs, with full civil and voting rights.
0% of the residents of the “Palestinian” (sic) held areas are Jews, as they would be murdered if they tried to live there. The charters of both Hamas and Hezbollah call for the extermination of all Jews in Israel.
And you say the Jews are the “racists and xenophobes”… ?
Trump’s “alternative facts” decisions are based on fiction and not reality.
He should be investigated bec he abused women in the past and currently abuses his wife, had illegal activities at Trump University and other business dealings, shady tax filings, has very close relation (business and personal) with a dictator Putin, loves Russia more than USA (wonder where he was born or his loyalty lies), tried to shut down free press illegally (by calling CNN’s Chief about reporters) etc. etc. etc.