Muslim Travel Ban
Trump signed an executive order banning citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S., causing chaos at airports worldwide. Over 700 travelers were detained and up to 60,000 visas were revoked.
On January 27, 2017 — one week into his presidency — Trump signed Executive Order 13769 banning citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen) from entering the United States for 90 days. The order also indefinitely suspended Syrian refugee admissions.
The ban was implemented immediately and without warning, causing chaos at airports around the world:
- Over 700 travelers were detained at U.S. airports
- Up to 60,000 visas were provisionally revoked
- Legal permanent residents (green card holders) were initially included in the ban
- People mid-flight when the order was signed landed to find they were barred from entry
- Mass protests erupted at airports across the country
Trump had previously called for "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States" during his 2015 campaign. Courts initially blocked the order, finding it was motivated by religious animus. After two revisions, a modified third version was upheld by the Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision in 2018.
The ban separated families, disrupted lives, stranded travelers, and sent a message that the United States would discriminate based on religion and national origin — a repudiation of values the country had championed for decades.