On Saturday afternoon, as President Donald Trump’s travel ban went into effect, we asked people to call us and leave a message if they had been impacted by the new restrictions. We got more than 20,000 voicemails.
We heard from people who had been directly impacted: families torn apart, travelers who couldn’t visit their dying parents, and legal residents who were stuck in cities on different continents after business trips.
We also heard from the other side: those who are in favor of President Trump’s ban. Many of them spoke about their excitement that the president was following through on his campaign promises, about how they felt safer, and how they thought refugees and immigrants should be vetted and enter this country legally.
A few facts to add some important context, here: No refugee from countries included in this travel ban has killed anyone in terrorist attacks on American soil.
Additionally, refugees already undergo a long and rigorous vetting process by the US government and the United Nations. The process takes an average of 18-24 months.
One more point: the travel ban applies to people who followed existing rules, and are legally attempting to enter the United States—this includes students, legal workers, business travelers, tourists and more.
Listen to their voices:
