The President of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Afam Osigwe, has described as unfair the recent US travel ban, especially as it affects those he called innocent people who want to do legitmate business in the United States.
Osigwe stated this on Wednesday during an interview on ‘Politics Today’, a programme on Channels Television monitored by DAILY POST.
He was reacting to US travel restrictions on Nigeria.
DAILY POST reports that United States President Donald Trump has signed a new proclamation further restricting the entry of foreign nationals into the country, adding 15 more nations to the list facing partial travel limitations.
“While I understand America’s position on preventing illegal immigration and visa overstays, punishing those who simply want to travel by restricting their access to the US is unfair. The US should find a balance.
“I am worried, because Trump’s increasingly shows that he doesn’t really want immigrants in the United States and finding reasons of overstay of about 7.5% of Nigerians who are given visa, which I will think is a negligible percentage and a stretching it would appear to be finding reasons to justify a position you have already already taken, but we want to make it look good.
“And I don’t think that such a policy is good. There are persons who come in lawfully, do not overstay or do not abuse their visas.
“Punishing persons who would want to travel, but for such limited access to the US would also be an unfair thing. I think the best thing to do is to find those who have usually overstayed, then find a way of returning them to their home countries,” he said.
US visa ban: Punishing innocent people is unfair – NBA President Osigwe
