{"id":1594,"date":"2025-06-09T21:57:33","date_gmt":"2025-06-09T21:57:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/?p=1594"},"modified":"2025-06-09T21:57:33","modified_gmt":"2025-06-09T21:57:33","slug":"protesters-some-travelers-denounce-trumps-new-travel-ban-but-business-as-usual-at-ohare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/?p=1594","title":{"rendered":"Protesters, some travelers denounce Trump’s new travel ban, but business as usual at O’Hare"},"content":{"rendered":"


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President Donald Trump\u2019s new travel ban on a dozen mostly African and Middle Eastern countries took effect Monday.<\/p>\n

But despite tensions mounting across the country over immigration enforcement, the effect of the ban was not apparent at O\u2019Hare International Airport where, eight years ago during Trump\u2019s first attempt at a travel ban, hundreds protested and over a dozen people were arrested<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Instead, dozens of protesters gathered Monday morning in Daley Plaza to denounce travel restrictions. Congressman Jesus \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda called on communities to hold non-violent, mass protests across the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur communities are comprised of refugees and dreamers from every corner of the world, and all of us are under attack,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is a war on our dignity, and dignity is not up for negotiation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Garc\u00eda, a Chicago Democrat, said his office had not received any reports of people with valid visas being denied entry into the country at Chicago airports.<\/p>\n

The travel ban, which Trump signed last week, applies to citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. It also imposes heightened restrictions on people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela who are outside the U.S. and don\u2019t hold a valid visa.<\/p>\n

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Congressman Jesus \u201cChuy\u201d Garcia speaks about the actions of the federal government during a rally addressing concerns for recent ICE operations at Daley Plaza in the loop, Monday, June 9, 2025. Members of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, SEIU, and local state and city officials came together to hold a press conference to address the Trump administration and the the recent ICE operations.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/p>\n

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Anthony Vazquez\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

The new ban does not revoke visas previously issued to people from countries on the list. However, unless an applicant meets narrow criteria for an exemption to the ban, his or her application will be rejected. Travelers with previously issued visas should still be able to enter the U.S.<\/p>\n

The ban follows a months-long campaign against immigration by Trump. During his first term, a hastily written executive order called for the denial of entry to citizens of mainly Muslim countries, creating chaos at numerous airports and other ports of entry and prompting successful legal challenges and major revisions to the policy.<\/p>\n

But operations seemed normal at O\u2019Hare\u2019s international terminal hours into the ban.<\/p>\n

Arriving at O\u2019Hare Monday afternoon, Iqbal Karim was stunned to learn that his native Sierra Leone is on an additional list from the White House that imposes heightened restrictions.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt first I thought it was a joke,\u201d Karim, 59, of Chicago, said.<\/p>\n

A naturalized American citizen, Karim said he thinks the restrictions unfairly associates his native country with terrorism.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think we belong [on the list]. It\u2019s an easy-going and peaceful country,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Calvin Jackson arrived to O\u2019Hare Monday morning to pick up his 11-year-old son. A naturalized U.S. citizen and native of Liberia, he has been living in Minneapolis for the past 12 years.<\/p>\n

While the president\u2019s travel ban doesn\u2019t hit his nation, Jackson said it seems Trump\u2019s travel restrictions are targeting poorer countries.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you can remember, that is not the first time Trump has targeted African countries,\u201d Jackson said. During \u201cthe first Trump administration, he called African countries sh–hole countries.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Calvin Jackson, who moved to Minneapolis from Liberia 12 years ago, sits with his 11-year-old son in Terminal 5 on a layover at O\u2019Hare International Airport on the morning President Donald Trump\u2019s latest travel ban order takes effect, Monday, June 9, 2025.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Karen Pride, spokesperson for the Chicago Department of Aviation, said there has been no impact to flights at O\u2019Hare due to the travel ban. She said there are no direct flights to O\u2019Hare from the impacted countries.<\/p>\n

Advocates at the protest denounced the arrest of David Huerta, a prominent labor organizer from California who was arrested in Los Angeles as protests erupted in response to ICE raids. Some held signs showing Huerta\u2019s face while others held signs stating, \u201cFree David Huerta.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trump deployed the National Guard in Los Angeles<\/a> in response to the protests, and local organizers are demanding officials issue a plan for what will happen if Trump issues a similar order for Chicago. <\/p>\n

Advocates also demanded an investigation into if the Chicago Police Department violated local sanctuary laws last week amid protests when ICE began arresting immigrants<\/a> at unexpected check-ins.<\/p>\n

Fasika Alem, of the United African Organization, said they know of at least one man from Cameroon who was arrested during last week\u2019s check-ins with ICE in Chicago. Another five asylum seekers from Senegal with pending cases were recently detained by ICE after attending immigration court in Chicago, she said.<\/p>\n

Patrick Brutus, co-founder of the Haitian American Professional Network in Chicago, said many in the Haitian community are appealing to their congressional representatives to reverse Trump\u2019s travel ban while also organizing a protest for Saturday in Chicago.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe feel very strongly that this ban, it\u2019s going to impact families by separating them from their loved ones here in the states,\u201d Brutus said. \u201cIt\u2019s going to disrupt lives. It\u2019s going to block access to life-saving opportunities, and in some cases, it\u2019s going to cause real harm to those who aren\u2019t able to flee harsh conditions right now that are shaped by violence and lawlessness not only in Haiti but in Africa as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nadiah Alyafai, an organizer at the Arab American Action Network, described Trump\u2019s travel ban as anti-Muslim and anti-Black. She said the ban, along with other immigration enforcement tactics, has created fear in the community for Yemenis even though many hold legal permanent residencies in the Chicago area.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnder the successive attacks of this administration, even that status offers no guarantee of safety or security,\u201d she said. \u201cWe are witnessing a deliberately targeted effort to undermine our rights, our freedoms and our dignities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Contributing: Associated Press<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n