State Department Visas Numbers Much Lower Than Justice Department’s Numbers
A U.S. Justice Department lawyer informed a federal judge that more than 100,000 visas had been rescinded in compliance with the temporary travel ban of seven major Muslim countries that President Donald Trump put into place.
The State said the number is much lower.
Will Cocks, Bureau of Consular Affairs spokesman, said less than 60,000 people had their visas temporarily revoked.
Another spokesperson with the State Department is in charge of the records. The agency said it stands by the number and is trying to learn where the discrepancy is.
The higher number was mentioned during a hearing for a lawsuit that was filed on behalf of two Yemenis who were sent back to Ethiopia after arriving at Dulles International Airport.
The attorney didn’t specify a certain number of people who were refused entry into the country after Trump’s executive order.
The White House has been downplaying the effect the policy has had on people who were in travel after protests took place at various airports around the U.S.
Officials said about 110 people were detained in the U.S. after the ban was put into place.
John Kerry, Homeland Security secretary, said the figure was put on the people who were first affected. He said it was only natural the number of people affected would increase.
There have been over 10 legal challenges against the order.
According to the inspector general’s office, the Department of Homeland Security is looking at how the order was implemented. Various reports state the White House has offered little help toward the agencies responsible for order execution.
The White House said the order was extremely successful and its execution went smoothly.
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