Since President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January barring people from Muslim-majority countries from the US, more than 100,000 people have had their US entry visas revoked, spreading a rippling turmoil through thousands of lives around the world. Despite a federal ruling on Sunday temporarily halting the order, the travel ban has hit the electronic music community hard, as international artists scramble to cancel tours and figure out their options.
Muslim-American DJ Khaled and artist-activist Grimes were among many prominent musicians to speak out after the ban was announced. Over in the underground, hundreds of musicians on Bandcamp came together to financially support the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the organization at the forefront of fighting the order. Notwithstanding these actions, musicians from the affected countries have seen their lives thrown into disarray. Many are afraid to leave the country, lest they not be let back in. This would be a problem for any musician. But for electronic music, an art form where revenue is particularly contingent on international touring and cross-cultural pollination, the impact of such a ban could be tremendous.
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