Issuance of Temporary Ban on Entry to the U.S. Delayed Until Next Week

The White House has announced that the issuance of the executive order by the President of the United States to temporarily prevent the entry of certain citizens, including Iranians, has been delayed until next week. White House officials stated on Thursday, March 2, 2023, that the new order will not be issued until next week. The initial order was issued by Donald Trump, the President of the United States, in the first week of his administration on January 28. In the initial order, the entry of citizens from Iran and six other countries was halted for at least 90 days, and the Department of Homeland Security was to determine within 30 days which countries did not provide sufficient information about visa applicants. In the United States, various opinions have been expressed regarding this order; on one hand, groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union and several NGOs have opposed it, describing it as discriminatory. Some scholars, researchers, and artists in the United States have also called for a review of it, stating it is detrimental to American interests. On the other hand, supporters and defenders of the temporary entry ban have referred to it as a temporary measure to review the visas issued to citizens of the so-called seven countries. They argue that a visa is not a right, but a privilege. Donald Trump has defended this order as a means to protect the security of the people and territory of the United States. In mid-February, a federal judge in Washington state ruled to temporarily lift this order, and the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department also lifted the travel ban for citizens of the seven countries, including Iranians. Subsequently, Mr. Trump and his administration announced that they would make changes to the executive order to align it with the legal arguments presented by the court. However, its issuance has been delayed multiple times. Mike Pence, the Vice President of the United States, stated on Wednesday that the executive order would be issued in the coming days.