United States President Joe Biden has reversed a number of policies by his predecessor Donald Trump, including an immigration ban against Nigeria, Yemen, Venezuela and other countries.
With the travel restriction, Nigerians were denied the opportunity of applying for US green cards which gives them an official immigration status in the United States.
“The ban that Biden ended, blocked entry to most people from Iran, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, and North Korea,” Bloomberg reported.
“It also restricted immigrant visas for people from Nigeria, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, and Eritrea as well as for certain others from Venezuela and Tanzania.”
The reversal of the immigration policies is part of Biden’s campaign promises to chart a new course for the nation.
Former President Trump’s administration in February 2020 placed Nigeria on a travel restriction it said was aimed at cracking down on illegal migration.
President Donald Trump and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari shake hands during for a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Monday, April 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Trump also announced he would suspend entry to travellers from seven mostly Muslim nations- Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Sudan. The policy also suspended refugee resettlement.
Biden, however, has signed an executive action ending restrictions on travel and immigration from some predominantly Muslim countries.
The executive directs the State Department to resume visa processing for those countries and develop a plan to address people affected, such as those who were denied entry to the US.
The order directs an halt to some policies by the Trump administration pending the conclusion of an “extreme vetting” exercise before their continuation.
“There’s no time to waste…These are just all starting points,” Biden said before signing the 17 executive orders in the White House.
Biden’s newly signed executive orders also includes the abolishment of the construction of a wall along the U.S-Mexico border to deny citizens of the latter outright entry.
In a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19, Biden encouraged American residents to mask up as “it’s a patriotic act that can save countless lives.
“It’s time to mask up, America,” Biden tweeted on Wednesday.
Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari in his congratulatory message said he is hopeful that the new administration would mark a strong point of cooperation and support for Nigeria and the African continent.
