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An immigration law firm based in the US released an alert claiming that a draft Executive Order [EO] is currently under review which would include Lebanon and other countries in US President Donald Trump's travel ban.

Ohio-based firm Hammond Group LLC, an immigration law firm in Cincinnati, said Wednesday [US time] the draft order would modify Trump's Jan. 25, 2017 EO titled "Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States."

If approved, the law firm said that Egypt, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Colombia, Venezuela, southern Philippines, trans-Sahara [Mali], and Sulu/Sulawesi Seas Littoral might be included in the travel ban.

Last June 2016, then candidate Trump proposed banning immigrants from countries where there is a proven history of terrorism against the US and its allies. This includes the Philippines where two terror groups are listed.

The law firm believes the new EO will be out in the next two weeks.

The Hammond group warned nationals from the country listed in the supposed draft review to refrain from traveling outside the United States until more information is known about the EO.

"Given the manner in which the current travel ban was implemented and the way it was announced with no advanced notice, not to mention the lack of guidance with regard to how it was to be enforced, we have no choice but to suggest that nationals from any country on this new list [without regard to their immigration status] refrain from traveling outside the US until such time as we know more about this proposed Executive Order," the immigration alert read.

The law firm, however, admitted that it is also possible that the information it got could be inaccurate or incomplete.

Nevertheless, it said that the "severe consequences of being denied re-entry into the US would suggest extreme caution is justified at this time."

In a statement on February 3, however, the US Department of Homeland Security said that no other countries have "been identified as warranting future inclusion at this time, contrary to false reports."

In a February 2 tweet, the American Immigration Lawyers Association [AILA] National also said it has "no confirmation of additional countries being added to travel ban. We will continue to update."

On its website, AILA likewise referred to information it reportedly got from the US Department of State [DOS].

"In response to rumors of plans to expand the travel ban to other countries, DOS informed AILA that there is no addendum, annex, or amendment now being worked on to expand visa revocations or the travel ban to countries other than those currently implicated in the Executive Order entitled, 'Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States.' This includes Colombia and Venezuela which have been widely rumored to be under consideration," AILA said.

"DOS confirmed that there is no information that supports such a rumor and asked that AILA members help end the spread of this false information," the group added.

Last Friday, Trump issued an EO prohibiting citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the US for the next 90 days and suspending the admission of refugees for 120 days. It covers citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The EO was met with protests and even condemnation from some world leaders.

The EO did not clarify if it applies to dual citizens but the Ohio-based law firm said citizens should "expect delays at the airport as the Customs as the Customs and Border Patrol is unlikely to have the manpower to review passports and documents of travelers in a quick manner."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team