US Intelligence Agency report on US travel ban of 7 Muslim states embarrassing for Trump
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WASHINGTON: (APP) A report written by intelligence analysts has said that there was not enough evidence to suggest that citizens of seven Muslim countries currently facing ban to travel to the United States pose any terror threat to the United States.
The New York Times' report confirmed an earlier report that quoted a draft document written by the analysts at the Homeland Security Department's intelligence arm that "country of citizenship is unlikely to be a reliable indicator of potential terrorist activity."
President Trump issued an executive order in January to ban citizens from the seven Muslim countries to travel to the United Sates citing terrorism concerns.
The order also stopped the US refugee program under which Syrian migrants were given shelter.
The ban has since been challenged by courts in various States which have issued a stay order against it.
Retaliating to the Court orders, the Trump's administration came out with two more memos that would expedite deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants living in the country.
As the anti-immigrant measures are facing stiff opposition from several quarters, the new report from the intelligence community seems to weaken the assessment by President Trump that formed the basis of banning order relating to the seven Muslim countries, which included Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
President Trump said that he would issue a new order with regard to the travel ban, but had not given any timeframe as when such an order would be issued.
According to the assessment by the latest intelligence report, there were only a small number of people from the seven countries who were involved in terrorism-related activities in the United States.
Some terrorist groups in Syria, Yemen and Iraq pose a threat to the United States, groups from the other four countries have more regional focus.
A very few number of visas were granted to citizens from these seven countries.
The NYT quoted the Department of Homeland Security which sought to play down the report said it was just a draft and not a comprehensive review of the government's intelligence.
Meanwhile, new rules aimed at expediting deportation have sent a shock wave across the country or those without legal documents to stay in the country.
There are people who have lived in the country for as many as 20 years and with documents and are now face the threat of being deported.
According to various reports, undocumented immigrants have stopped sending their children to school, wound up or scaled down business activities and are less visible in public places out of fear of being spotted by the thousands of newly recruited federal agents who will boost the existing force to carry out the deportations.
Many states have ordered their police not to cooperate with these federal agents and have vowed to resist Mr. Trump's orders and provide shelter to the undocumented aliens.
