Thread by @MigrationPolicy

DHS announces it’s expanding the #travelban to would-be immigrants (not temporary visitors) from Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria & Myanmar
More narrowly, Sudanese & Tanzanians will be banned from #greencardlottery

⬇️Read on for info on immigrants from the newly banned countries

This means nationals from Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria & Myanmar seeking a green card to enter the United States will be barred from doing so as long as their countries remain designated under the #travelban

Nigeria & Eritrea account for 14% of all green cards issued annually to African nationals

About two-thirds of green cards issued annually are the result of family sponsorship
What does the existing population of immigrants from the newly added travel ban countries look like?

The travel ban will end the admission of would-be green card holders from Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria & Myanmar

Here’s what issuance has looked like for these countries in recent years

The expanded travel ban also will end the ability of nationals from Sudan & Tanzania to qualify for the Diversity Visa program, aka green card lottery

In 2018, 1,048 Sudanese got a green card via the Diversity Visa program

DHS withheld the number of Tanzanians doing so

Experience shows the #travelban announcement today is likely to have a significant impact on the barred countries
Those designated in 2017 have seen big drops in green card issuance, especially Iran, Yemen, Syria, Somalia & Libya These visas fell 55% between FY 2017 & 2019

For a snapshot of sub-Saharan African immigration to the U.S., including by Nigerians & Eritreans, check out

migrationpolicy.org/article/sub-sa…

Of the 15 diaspora groups in the U.S. MPI studied for a project a few years ago, Nigerians were the most highly educated & substantially more likely than overall US pop. to be in managerial or professional occupations

migrationpolicy.org/sites/default/…