Seven years ago, former President Donald Trump enforced the Muslim Ban. With the upcoming presidential elections, will we see additions to the Muslim Ban?

Trump passed the Muslim Ban in 2017 with Executive Order 13769 with the purpose of “protecting the nation from foreign terrorist entry into the United States.” The Muslim Ban passed through many versions in 2017, and this is who the third ban restricts: muslims from 6 majority muslim countries including Libya, Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Syria and more countries from Africa and Asia. The Supreme Court upheld the third version when lower courts tried to challenge the executive order.  

The ban had immediate effects. 150 million people in war-torn countries and countries suffering from natural disasters were affected. Numerous deportations happened at airports. Muslim Americans could not see their loved ones.

When the current President Joe Biden came into office in 2020, he overturned Trump’s executive order with his own. However, the Muslim Ban may have a comeback if Trump returns to office after the elections this year. Trump has already vowed to add on to his Muslim Ban.

Despite Trump's seemingly good intentions to protect our country, the Muslim Ban has done more harm than good. The underlying scheme of the ban is to institutionalize prejudice and racism towards Muslim Americans. With that, Muslim communities in America have suffered. Muslim Americans were separated from their family members abroad; they could never celebrate beautiful moments together. Muslim Americans worry for their families stuck in war-torn countries. Muslims from the countries that are restricted may never be able to put their talents to good use if they are stuck in war and cannot go to good colleges and universities. 

And above all, another Muslim Ban will add to the islamophobia in our country as Muslim foreigners will be characterized as terrorists. Instead of fostering collaboration between people around the world and Americans, the ban will further divide people.