Trump’s Travel Ban: How It Works and Who Is Affected

Almost obscured in the rancor over President Trump’s immigrant crackdown at the southern border is the impact of his travel ban, upheld by the Supreme Court last week.

The presidential order proclaiming the travel ban, which took effect in December after two broader iterations were blocked by lower courts, applies with varying degrees of severity to seven countries — five with Muslim majorities.

Here are the basics of the order, including who is potentially affected the most and what opponents have done since the Supreme Court affirmed its legality in a 5-to-4 decision.

What does the ban actually do?

It indefinitely suspends the issuance of immigrant and nonimmigrant visas to applicants from the Muslim-majority countries Libya, Iran, Somalia, Syria and Yemen — plus North Korea and Venezuela.

How many people are potentially affected?

The number of people who fall under the ban exceeds 135 million, according to immigrant advocacy groups. The majority are in the five Muslim-majority nations, led by Iran, with a population of more than 80 million.

Is it effectively a ban on Muslims, as critics say?

The court’s majority said no, based on the government’s process of granting exceptions and on the inclusion of North Korea and Venezuela in the order.