I disagree with this interpretation - many have been vocally protesting each of the rounds of banning and policy changes, and multiple large waves of migration

I disagree with this interpretation - many have been vocally protesting each of the rounds of banning and policy changes, and multiple large waves of migration happened. This policy became such a talking point because of how there wasn't even a pretense of doing it for safety etc. Other policies may have been functionally more harmful, but this was bald-faced with no concievable defense for the blatent hypocrisy, and if anything is going to get people riled up it's hypocrisy.