Dozens of protesters stood outside the red arrivals of Tampa International Airport holding signs and chanting against President Donald Trump’s travel ban.
A watered down version of Mr. Trump’s ban were allowed by the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
“I can't wrap my brain around it,” Kelly Nelson said. “I don't understand it. We’ve always been a welcome nation I am the daughter of immigrants.”
The move came after the Supreme Court partially restored President Donald Trump's executive order that was widely criticized as a ban on Muslims.
Visas that have already been approved will not be revoked, but instructions issued by the State Department say that new applicants from Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Iran and Yemen must prove a relationship with a parent, spouse, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling already in the United States to be eligible. The same requirement, with some exceptions, holds for would-be refugees from all nations who are still awaiting approval for admission to the U.S.
Grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, fiancees or other extended family members are not considered to be close relationships, according to the guidelines that were issued in a cable sent to all U.S. embassies and consulates late on Wednesday.
"This is absolutely a Muslim ban,” Aida Mackic the Youth and Interfaith Program Coordinator with CAIR Florida said. “In doing so, you are isolating a community that is in the United States and what scares me the most is the isolation. When you isolate people in this manner it gives people the opportunity to those like ISIS that can approach that isolated group of individuals and appeal to them in that manner.”
The new guidance will remain in place until the Supreme Court issues a final ruling on the matter. Arguments before the justices will not be held until at least October, so the interim rules will remain in place at least until the fall.
“You have these desperate refugees seeking to flee war torn countries, violent countries who have gone through these background checks who have made arrangements to come to the U.S. and the door is now closed,” Wendy Snyder said. “That's not what we stand for in the United States.”
