US ‘Muslim ban’ set to end ‘on day one’ of Biden presidency

Repea­ling Donald Trump's travel ban on some Muslim majority nations will be one of the four executive orders that President-elect Joe Biden plans to issue on his first day in the White House, his campaign managers say.

The executive actions would also include rejoining the Paris Climate Agree­ment, reinstating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme and rejoining the World Health Organisation, the campaign told Fox News on Monday night, reports The Dawn.

On Saturday, Fox News and several other US media outlets projected Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election.

Besides, Aljazeera reports the bans could be easily undone as they were issued by executive order and presidential proclamation, according to policy experts, but lawsuits from conservatives could delay the process.

In October, Biden also promised to push politicians for laws to fight the surging number of hate crimes in the US.

"As president, I'll work with you to rip the poison of hate from our society to honour your contributions and seek your ideas. My administration will look like America with Muslim Americans serving at every level," he said.

Trump imposed the travel restrictions – often referred to by critics as the "Muslim ban" – through a series of executive orders singling out Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen, triggering criticism that it amounted to unlawful religious discrimination.

Trump then expanded the ban to include Venezuela and North Korea and later added Nigeria, Sudan, Myanmar and three other countries to the list.

"Muslim communities are the first to feel Donald Trump's assault on Black and brown communities in this country, with his vile Muslim ban. That fight was the opening barrage in what has been nearly four years of constant pressure and insults," Biden said.

Fox News noted that Biden's decision to re-enter the WHO "reflected a broader effort to combat the coronavirus upon taking office." Democrats have decried Trump's decision to exit the transnational organisation in the middle of a pandemic.

On Monday, Biden formed a coronavirus advisory board dominated by scientists and doctors.

Since his projection as the president-elect, the Biden campaign has also asked the Trump administration to the process of transition, which must be completed before the Jan 20 inauguration of the new president.

But the Trump's administration's refusal to recognise Biden as the president-elect have caused speculations that the transition may not complete before the inauguration.

RCP's decision to reverse Biden's win may also contribute to delaying the transition process. RCP reversed Biden's victory in Pennsylvania bringing his electoral votes to 259, 11 short of the required 270 votes