In a statement made on Sunday evening, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany announced that the White House was banning non-citizens coming from Brazil from entering the United States, The Associated Press reported. McEnany stated that the travel ban applies to non-citizens who have been in Brazil within 14 days of the time they want to travel to the U.S. The press secretary positioned the ban as a measure to protect U.S. citizens from one of the world's newest coronavirus hot spots.
"Today's action will help ensure foreign nationals who have been in Brazil do not become a source of additional infections in our country," McEnany said.
According to The Associated Press, the travel ban will begin on Thursday. Permanent, legal U.S. residents as well as their relatives -- a spouse, child, or parent -- will be exempt from the ban. The White House also stated that the ban would not apply to travel for the purposes of trade between the U.S. and Brazil.
President Donald Trump has been considering banning non-citizens coming from Brazil since Tuesday, Reuters reported.
"I don't want people coming over here and infecting our people," Trump told reporters on Tuesday.
"I don't want people over there sick either. We're helping Brazil with ventilators.... Brazil is having some trouble, no question about it."
