The ban also applies to residents of Somalia who want to immigrate to the U.S., but not those who just want to visit. That list of countries was prepared for the White House as part of a worldwide assessment required every six months under the travel ban. More than 150 million people live in the countries targeted by the initial ban. As for how many have actually tried and been turned away, the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs reported that almost 80,000 visa applications were considered under the terms of Trump’s travel ban in the roughly two years ending Dec. 31, 2019. In the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling upholding the travel ban, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that Trump’s comments as a candidate weren’t enough to strike down his policy as president.

Source: Washington Post January 27, 2020 20:39 UTC