President Donald Trump's controversial travel ban has already had a huge impact, including widespread condemnation from the leaders of foreign powers (including Iran, Iraq, Britain, France, Canada and Australia among others), massive protests at the nation's airports and, in a surprise move Monday night (Jan. 30), the firing of his acting attorney general Sally Yates.
It has also caused a sense of panic among some artists and musicians who are unclear about their ability to travel in the wake of the confusing, reportedly rushed roll-out of the measure, which blocks any refugees from entering the country for 120 days (including those from war-ravaged Syria, who are indefinitely barred) and a 90-day ban on immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
With the Feb. 12 Grammy Awards less than two weeks away, Billboard reached out on Monday night to see if Trump's actions will have any impact on the show. "Fortunately, at this time, it appears that no current-year nominees stand to be directly affected by the recent policy change," a spokesperson for the show told Billboard via email. At press time it was unclear if any of the expected performers, presenters or attendees were from the affected countries. (Billboard will update this story in the lead-up to the broadcast.)
