US Muslim civil rights group warns immigrants not to travel overseas this month

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on Thursday warned legal immigrants in the US not to travel overseas this month.

"Due to the risk that the Trump administration will announce a new Muslim travel ban this month, we advise any lawful permanent residents and foreign students, workers, medical patients, refugees and tourists who are citizens of countries that may be targeted not to leave the United States over the next 30 days unless it is necessary to do so," said CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert S. McCaw.

The statement came after media reports said President Donald Trump could bar people from Afghanistan and Pakistan from entering the US as soon as next week.

McCaw said CAIR does not know "for sure" whether the administration will issue a new ban or which countries would be targeted.

"We encourage immigrants in the United States who are citizens of Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Palestine/Gaza, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen to avoid international travel until the administration’s deadline for a new ban passes," he added.

CAIR encourages the Trump administration to reconsider any plans to impose any new total travel bans on Muslim-majority countries under the guise of protecting national security, he said.