PRESS RELEASE 

For immediate release 

Thursday, June 6, 2025

Contact: press@alianzaamericas.org / (773) 638-4278

‍Chicago, IL — Alianza Americas strongly condemns Trump's racist and xenophobic travel ban, which targets citizens from 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen and that also places partial restrictions on Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. This latest move continues a deeply troubling trend of arbitrarily denying entry to individuals based solely on nationality.

The ban reinforces a broader racist and white supremacist agenda that has consistently sought to limit the presence and contributions of non-white people in the United States. This has devastating consequences for people fleeing conflict, persecution, and humanitarian crises. It undermines the U.S.’s moral and legal obligation to provide refuge, while endangering the lives of those forced to return to unsafe conditions. Once again, we see immigration policy being used as a tool to shut people out, vilify them, and deny their humanity.

Trump's team has learned from their mistakes and has taken a different approach to their travel ban, but make no mistake, this is part of his xenophobic and white supremacist agenda. This order will disproportionately impact African, Asian, Latin American and Caribbean countries who are reeling from war, climate disasters, authoritarianism, and several other dangerous conditions. This is not about visa overstays or public safety. It's about continuing the whitening of America. 

These restrictions also further create overwhelming uncertainty for thousands of international students from affected countries. Many fear disruptions to their education and future prospects in the U.S., as universities advise against nonessential travel due to potential issues with reentry. By restricting entry from multiple countries, the ban also discourages tourism and hampers international business relations. It limits the work of civil society and political leaders who travel to the U.S. to seek political and financial support for their causes. Foreign visitors contribute significantly to the U.S. economy and its social and political influence, and such policies risk long-term consequences. Trump is looking to further separate us, but the reality is that we are globally interconnected. Mobility is a necessity. 

We must not become numb to these racist actions. This is a moment to fight with care for our neighbors, be it next door, or across borders. 

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Alianza Americas is a transnational network of migrant-led organizations in the United States. We advocate for social justice, equity and human rights in the Americas.

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