US reactions?

[askandanswer]

A few days ago the Australian government passed a regulation imposing fines and possible jail sentences on Australian citizens or permanent residents currently in India who try to return home to Australia until (I think) 15 May. How would Americans react to a ban preventing American citizens in India from returning home to the US? Over here, the legal and human rights communities are responding with a lot of concern but there doesn't seem to have been much of a reaction yet from the general public. 

The Morrison government has defended its international travel restrictions, maintaining they are consistent with international human rights law, despite strong criticism from the national watchdog.

The Human Rights Commission revealed it had “serious concerns” about threats to jail or fine Australian citizens returning from India under a new travel ban.

From Monday, people who have been in India within the previous fortnight before their intended arrival in Australia will face a $66,600 fine, as well as five years imprisonment for entering the country.

The government has staunchly defended the tough move saying it was necessary to protect Australia’s public health and the quarantine systems, as India records more than 300,000 new COVID-19 cases a day.

[NeuroTypical]

We would not react well.  After the previous administration enacted the large travel ban, we still brought home thousands of citizens.  I remember the presidential press briefings often told some of the stories of finding and returning these folks.

[Carborendum]

19 hours ago, askandanswer said:

How would Americans react to a ban preventing American citizens in India from returning home to the US?

Simple:

• If the President/Congress are of your political party, they're only doing it to protect the rest of the population.
• If the President/Congress are of the opposing political party, they're obviously bringing down the yoke of oppression upon us to lead us into a dictatorship.

[JohnsonJones]

On 5/2/2021 at 3:20 PM, askandanswer said:

A few days ago the Australian government passed a regulation imposing fines and possible jail sentences on Australian citizens or permanent residents currently in India who try to return home to Australia until (I think) 15 May. How would Americans react to a ban preventing American citizens in India from returning home to the US? Over here, the legal and human rights communities are responding with a lot of concern but there doesn't seem to have been much of a reaction yet from the general public. 

The Morrison government has defended its international travel restrictions, maintaining they are consistent with international human rights law, despite strong criticism from the national watchdog.

The Human Rights Commission revealed it had “serious concerns” about threats to jail or fine Australian citizens returning from India under a new travel ban.

From Monday, people who have been in India within the previous fortnight before their intended arrival in Australia will face a $66,600 fine, as well as five years imprisonment for entering the country.

The government has staunchly defended the tough move saying it was necessary to protect Australia’s public health and the quarantine systems, as India records more than 300,000 new COVID-19 cases a day.

During the height of Covid-19 a similar item occurred in the US, though I understand it was not as strictly enforced.  I had thought to go to Utah to visit some family during the time when it appeared that Covid-19 was on the downward slope but found out that Utah and many other states had a ban on others entering the state at the time or travel through their states.  I think it was that if you entered in the states from another (and this was from travel within the United States, not just travel from a foreign nation) you would have to quarantine for 2 weeks. 

Currently, the US also has had a ban from some nations where you cannot enter the US if you have a positive Covid-19 Test...citizen or not.  There were stories of the US citizens that were kept in Mexico for almost two weeks or more because of a positive test from Covid-19.  I think that applies to any nation out there with people trying to enter the US.  I had a friend who travelled overseas recently who got vaccinated and took precautions, but still prepared just in case they were barred from entering the US due to Covid-19.

I do not know the fine or what the punishment is if you defy the US ban.  I have not heard much outcry from the public on this, but I have heard some concerns about it from those who travel.  I am gearing up for my annual research travel and it has me concerned, though I have all the papers in order to actually do research this summer.  It is somewhat talked about to various degrees for and against it by those in the community who travel, I haven't heard a ton about it from the general public though.

It may not be as extreme as the Australian ban but it is similar and done for a similar reason I suppose. 

[askandanswer]

The response from the legal and human rights fraternities and from the Indian community has forced the government to backtrack. The Prime Minister has recently said that no one would ever be punished to the full extent allowable by this law and that the ban would almost certainly not be extended beyond the two weeks that have been announced.

[LDSGator]

5 hours ago, askandanswer said:

The Prime Minister has recently said that no one would ever be punished to the full extent allowable by this law and that the ban would almost certainly not be extended beyond the two weeks that have been announced.

Do you believe him?

I’m highly skeptical of government in general, but the first priority of a government should be to protect innocent people from getting infected with a potentially deadly virus. 

Edited May 6, 2021 by LDSGator

[askandanswer]

Well on the one hand, by not allowing Australian citizens in India to return to Australia, the government is protecting Australians in Australia, as the figures are clear that when flights from India were arriving here, the passengers were testing positive at a much higher rate than flights from other countries. On the other hand, by not allowing Australians to return, they are being left unprotected in a country with enormously high infection rates and an extremely limited capacity to care for infected people. 

[LDSGator]

48 minutes ago, askandanswer said:

Well on the one hand, by not allowing Australian citizens in India to return to Australia, the government is protecting Australians in Australia, as the figures are clear that when flights from India were arriving here, the passengers were testing positive at a much higher rate than flights from other countries. On the other hand, by not allowing Australians to return, they are being left unprotected in a country with enormously high infection rates and an extremely limited capacity to care for infected people. 

Right. 
 

As a child we tend to think there are good and bad choices, and there are. 
 

You grow up a lot when you realize that in some circumstances, there are bad, and very bad choices, and you are forced to make one of them.