On February 26, 2025, NIAC sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem outlining the organization’s concerns with the impending reimposition of a travel ban as directed by President Trump’s Executive Order 14161 signed on January 20, 2025.
The letter underscores the problematic nature of broad-based, blanket bans that do little to preserve national security and instead put lives and dreams on hold while also negatively harming the American economy.
As stated in the letter:
“Studies indicate that national origin is not a reliable indicator of an individual’s likelihood to engage in terrorism, and that the vast majority of individuals from these countries who have passed U.S. vetting protocols and secured visas do not pose a threat as they actively contribute to the American economy.”
The letter also highlights concern on the Executive Order’s suggested review of individuals lawfully admitted to the United States since 2021, with possible deportations where grounds for removal exist. Emphasizing how “there is currently no available evidence indicating that such a review is justified on national security grounds,” we called for the administration to “clarify the legal basis and criteria for this review,” particularly as this facet of the Executive Order dangerously threatens to expand the impact of the travel ban well beyond its prior versions.
The full text of the letter is available below:
Letter to State and DHS on Travel Ban (1)Back to top