The American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL) expresses concern regarding the inclusion of Lebanon among the 75 countries named in the immigrant visa ban policy announced on January 14.
ATFL recognizes the administration’s stated objective of making the United States safer, stronger, and more prosperous. We also acknowledge longstanding ties between American leaders and the Lebanese American community, whose members have demonstrated patriotism and meaningful contributions to American society.
We understand that the administration has concerns that immigrant groups from these countries disproportionately receive welfare after arriving in the country. In the case of Lebanese immigrants and their descendants, the data clearly demonstrates the opposite.
Table A below includes data from the 2024 US Census collated by the Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies proves that Lebanese Americans are some of the most successful Americans in the country and are less likely to depend on public assistance than the average American.
The ban is causing extreme hardship on our community. We have families with doctors and professionals that were scheduled for interviews and then cancelled after waiting months to unite with their families. They had filed Affidavits of Support which more than met the 125 percent poverty guideline and were deemed documentarily qualified by the State Department.
Given the success of the group, it is no surprise that President Trump’s own extended family includes Lebanese immigrants and that the Trump Administration itself has many prominent Lebanese Americans, including immigrants, serving in leadership roles. These include Massad Bulos, Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs, Ambassador Tom Barrack, Ambassador Bill Bazzi, and Ambassador Michel Issa.
We ask the administration to remove Lebanon from this list because Lebanese immigrants make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.
Table A: 2024 US Census Data Collated by the Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
| Lebanese Americans | US General Public | ||
| Poverty Rate | 7.1% | 12.1% | |
| Education (25 and older) | |||
| High school degree or higher | 95.3% | 89.9% | |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher | 32.3% | 21.1% | |
| Graduate or Professional Degree | 27.1% | 14.7% | |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.6% | |
| Median Family Income | $130,774 | $105,800 | |
| Median Household Income | $104,556 | $81,604 | |
| With SNAP Benefits | 8.9% | 12.3% | |
| Health insurance | |||
| Insured | 95.9% | 91.8% | |
| Uninsured | 4.1% | 8.2% |