The travel ban of most nationals of Iran, Syria, Yemen,
Libya, Sudan and Somalia begins Thursday at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Under the order, the Trump administration must still allow
individuals from the designated countries "who have a credible claim of a
bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States" to
enter.
People who are visiting close
family or who have lined up jobs or schooling in the U.S. cannot be subject to
the ban.
The Department of Homeland Security has interpreted "close
family" to mean spouses, children, parents and in-laws, and sons- and
daughters-in-law and siblings (including step siblings). However, grandparents,
grandchildren and other extended family don't meet the definition, as defined
by DHS. Neither do fiances.
Relationships with U.S. entities, such as schools, must be
formal and documented, the DHS said, and cannot be formed for the purpose of
evading the travel ban.
The ban also does not apply to individuals who already hold
visas.
Trump administration officials are assuring the ban won't
cause disruptions at U.S. airports.
"It will be business as usual for us," a senior
administration official said in a press briefing Thursday. "We expect
things to run smoothly and our people are well prepared for this."
The administration is implementing the 90-day ban pursuant
to Monday's Supreme Court decision that mostly overturned the rulings of lower
courts that had deemed the ban unconstitutional.