The Travel Ban and the Politics of Fear The Trump administration announced on December 15, 2025, a significant expansion of its travel ban policy, set to take effect on January 1, 2026. According to the White House, nationals from six additional countries including Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Syria and holders of Palestinian Authority (PA) travel documents will not be eligible to enter the United States. With this announcement, citizens of 19 countries in total and PA will not be issued visas with some exceptions, which include individuals whose entry is deemed to “serve U.S. national interests.”
00:00Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. Press release. The travel ban and the politics of fear.
00:04The Trump administration announced on December 15, 2025, a significant expansion of its travel
00:10ban policy set to take effect on January 1, 2026. According to the White House, nationals from six
00:16additional countries, including Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Syria, and holders of
00:22Palestinian Authority PA travel documents, will not be eligible to enter the United States.
00:28With this announcement, citizens of 19 countries in total and PA will not be issued visas with some
00:34exceptions, which include individuals whose entry is deemed to quote-unquote serve U.S. national
00:40interests. The administration has justified the expansion by citing national security concerns
00:45included alleged deficiencies in immigrant screening and vetting procedures, poor information sharing
00:51practices by foreign governments, high rates of visa overstays and misalignment between U.S.
00:56counter-terrorism objectives and the policies of the affected countries. Beyond security-based
01:01explanations, the administration argues that the travel ban expansion serves broader political
01:07objectives. With Trump's approval rating at a historic low estimated at 39 percent according
01:13to a Reuters-Ipsos poll, the move is aimed at energizing a declining political base. Additional polling from ABC News
01:20indicates waning enthusiasm among core Republican and MAGA supporters, largely attributed to a declining economy.
01:28By expanding restrictions on immigration, the administration appears to reinforce campaign promises
01:34centered on job protection, border enforcement, and deportation. Immigrants, particularly those from targeted regions,
01:41have been repeatedly framed as contributors to unemployment, crime, drug trafficking, and strain
01:48on public resources. Such narratives validate fear-mongering, reinforcing public suspicion towards immigrants
01:54by portraying them as a primary source of domestic instability. Beyond placating domestic issues,
02:00these travel bans serve as tools to exert global power and influence. The recently formed Sahel alliance between Burkina Faso,
02:08Mali, and Niger, aimed at regional independence and strengthening economic and political ties, impedes America's efforts to
02:15wrestle away European influence in Africa. Even the recent bombing of Nigeria, ostensibly to
02:20quote-unquote protect Christians and prior direct threats, can be seen as part of America's plans to exert its influence in the region.
02:28Similarly, Syria and PA's inclusion reflects long-standing geopolitical considerations tied to American interests in the Middle East,
02:35particularly its strategic alliance with the Zionist entity. Clearly, the administration's policies disproportionately target Muslims,
02:42since 12 of the 19 countries listed are Muslim-majority countries. The ban is part of a broader pattern of Islamophobic actions,
02:49including recent efforts to designate certain Muslim groups as terrorist organizations and the detention of Muslim activists.
02:57Historically, the United States has absorbed waves of immigrants from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds,
03:03forging a shared national identity, often described as the quote-unquote American melting pot. While many immigrant communities
03:11gradually assimilated, Muslims have been uniquely targeted for maintaining distinct religious and cultural identities.
03:18Despite representing a small percentage of the U.S. population, Muslims in America are noted for strong adherence to faith-based values,
03:27family cohesion, higher level of education, and law-abiding behavior. This resistance to abandoning religious principles have subjected the Muslim community
03:36to heightened scrutiny and suspicion by both Republican and Democratic administrations.
03:42As global dynamics shift, the United States face growing challenges to its long-standing dominance. Such policies, rooted in fear and exclusion,
03:50risk undermining both America's global standing and its foundational ideals. The expansion of the travel ban represents more than a policy decision on immigration.
03:59Rather, it reflects the convergence of political strategy, global power enforcement, domestic policy, and ideological conflict with Islam.
04:08Framing immigrants, particularly Muslims, as threats allows the administration to divert public attention from domestic challenges such as economic instability,
04:17inflation, infrastructure decay, and policy failures. In contrast, Islam views immigration from a fundamentally different position.
04:26Rather than relying on nationalistic identity or ethnicity like the current nation states, Islam with its application via a Khilafah, a Caliphate,
04:34functioned as a legal and religious order based on taking care of all people regardless of their race, ethnicity, colour, or religion.
04:42Non-Muslims were permitted to enter and reside under a legal covenant that guaranteed protection of life and property, freedom of worship, and access to courts.
04:52Entry restrictions existed primarily for security reasons and were not based on race or ethnicity.
04:59Unlike modern immigration systems focused on labour markets, demographic management, or national identity,
05:05mobility of people in the Caliphate was primarily conditioned on observance of the law.
05:10The Caliphate also emphasized racial inclusion and economic sufficiency as core principles.
05:16Islam explicitly rejects racial or ethnic hierarchy.
05:20Historically, the Caliphate governed diverse populations including Arabs, Africans, Persians, Turks, Caucasians, Jews, Christians, and others,
05:29many of whom held high administrative and scholarly positions.
05:33Social cohesion among diverse populations was sustained for long periods under the Caliphate,
05:37and the current anti-immigrant rhetoric rooted in nationalism and demographic anxiety was absent.
05:44A new model of governance is urgently required.
05:47The Islamic model of governance, the Caliphate, offers a divinely guided system rooted in justice and collective responsibility,
05:54ensuring care and dignity for all people regardless of race, ethnicity, colour, religion, or immigration status.
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