Washington, DC: The American Immigration Lawyers’ Association (AILA) President Allen Orr, Esq. stated, “We are dealing with a global pandemic and the news that a new variant of COVID-19 has been identified should be taken seriously and thoroughly reviewed by scientists and public health experts. However, the most credible public health information clearly shows that the imposition of travel bans is not effective at stopping the spread of the virus. We live in an interconnected world and this latest ban ignores the reality that viruses don’t care what nationality you are or where you call home. The latest travel ban is a political response to a public health issue, that only serves to validate xenophobic and racist attitudes. The president should heed his own advice of taking the Omicron variant seriously, but not panic. AILA has recommended common-sense reforms that will help prevent the spread of COVID19, while reopening America, which we implore the Administration to implement.”

  coronavirus, COVID-19