US President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued new guidelines on its travel ban and clarified that green card holders or legally permanent residents, are not required to have a waiver to enter the United States. Initially, the Trump administration had stated that under the executive order, permanent legal residents were barred from entering the country but they could apply for a waiver and be rescreened.
“They no longer need a waiver because if they are a legal permanent resident they won’t need it anymore…In the sake of efficiency, we have interpreted the guidance to all of these agencies … that that does not apply, they no longer need a waiver,” White House spokesman Sean Spicer said.
Trump’s controversial order is aimed at citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries. The change in the order comes after a huge controversy erupted and protests were held over the travel restrictions.
After Trump signed the order, over 100 green-card holders were detained as they arrived at US airports.
Spicer said green card holders will be allowed to enter the country. “If they’re not a legal permanent resident, then they have to go back and that’s part of this vetting process. There’s a big difference,” he added.
The executive order, signed by Trump on Friday, bans travellers from seven countries, namely Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya, and Yemen for a period of 90 days till the US reviews its vetting procedures. Surprisingly, none of the countries – Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt or Afghanistan – which had a role in the recent terror attacks, feature in the list of the countries whose citizens have been barred from entering the United States by Donald Trump.
