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.
06:02Media Office of Hizb al-Tahrir in America.
06:05Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu.
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