“Immigration Advocates Rally in Chicago Loop Against Potential Travel Ban by Trump Administration”

A demonstration took place in Chicago on Wednesday to express worries about the possibility of a new travel restriction being enforced by President Donald Trump’s government.

According to various published reports, there’s a draft list of countries compiled by the State Department.

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Foreigners traveling from those countries may face restrictions, while entering the United States, if the proposed ban is implemented.

Protesters held a rally at Federal Plaza against the possible move.

Reports suggest that the intended ban would prohibit individuals from coming into the United States from nations like Afghanistan, Cuba, and Venezuela. Advocates for immigrants are denouncing what may become the second travel ban implemented by the Trump administration.

“We’re coming out not only to say we reject it, but committed to fighting against it,” said Muhammad Sankari, with Arab American Action Network.

“Being a child of an immigrant, I view this issue as a personal one. Our societies are receiving a message that we are not accepted here,” stated Grace Pai from Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago.

According to various published reports, there’s a draft list of countries compiled by the State Department at the behest of a President Trump executive order.

Those countries, reportedly, are listed in three tiers.

Nearly a dozen of those countries are flagged under “red,” or places where foreign travelers may be fully banned from entering the U.S.

That includes countries like Afghanistan, Cuba and Venezuela, where Chicago travel agent Mohammad Neaz books some of his clientele.

“Anything like this kind of thing happens, we’re the first ones to get hit. And, obviously, this means less travel and less business for us,” Neaz said.

The first travel ban imposed by Trump was in 2017, during his first term as president.

That ban, targeting mostly Muslim countries, set off nationwide protests at airports, including in Chicago.

“This was not drawn up by the president himself. There was not really any ideological agenda,” said Tom Mockaitis, a national security expert and DePaul history professor. “It’s raising current concerns about countries that are either very authoritarian or appear to be countries which terrorists have operated.”

The White House has not commented on a potential travel ban.