Trump’s Expanded Travel Ban Means More Families Torn Apart: Statement from Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
San Diego, CA – June 5, 2025– The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) strongly condemns the Trump Administration’s new iteration of the discriminatory travel ban that targets Muslims and other Black and Brown communities. While the Trump Administration had implemented multiple versions of the travel ban in its last term, this version is more expansive– fully restricting and limiting the entry of certain nationals from 12 countries including Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burma, Eritrea, Libya and partially suspending entry for nationals of an additional 7 countries.
This ban will further limit legal pathways to the United States, tear families apart, deny students access to educational opportunities in the US, and sow chaos and disruptions in communities across the country. As the Eid holiday approaches– and with many Muslims abroad for Hajj– our communities have been left reeling and grappling with the heartbreak of shattered hopes for family reunification compounded by a fear that loved ones may face new barriers to returning home.
“At a time when Immigration Enforcement agents are abducting immigrants and tearing families apart, this ban only magnifies the inhumane treatment of people under this administration. We call on Americans to reject such atrocities wholeheartedly and return to the American values of due process for all and welcoming refugees and asylum seekers,” said Maria Chavez, Immigration Legal Director, PANA.
PANA works directly with refugee and displaced communities- primarily Black, Muslim, Middle Eastern and South Asian- and is grounded in the belief that everyone deserves a warm welcome, a safe home, and dignified treatment. In alignment with this mission, PANA is developing the Global Village - a cultural hub that will provide housing, job training, and a gathering space for immigrant and refugee families. As with the previous travel ban, PANA stands alongside impacted communities and will meet directly with affected individuals to provide legal analysis, facilitate conversation, and identify pathways for support.
For further information, please contact:
Maria Chavez
Immigration Legal Director
Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)
Email: maria@panasd.org
About PANA:
The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) is a San Diego-based nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees and displaced populations in the San Diego region, throughout California, and across the country. PANA envisions a world where refugees and displaced people are connected leaders building a global movement that ends forced migration and secures meaningful freedom for all.