Donald
Trump's ban on Muslim refugees: Many passport holders travelling to
America will be blocked from entering the country if they have dual
citizenship with countries targeted in Donald Trump's ban on Islamic
refugees.
Donald
Trump after signing the executive order on Friday denying US entry to
people from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia for 90
days
Muslim air travellers were refused entry to America yesterday as
Donald Trump’s immigration ban kicked in, causing airport chaos.
Several were in transit when President Trump signed the order
placing a 90-day pause on immigration from seven mostly Muslim
countries.
Among them were an Iranian scientist heading for Boston and
visa-holder Hameed Khalid Darweesh, an Iraqi translator working with US
troops.
Hameed was held for 17 hours at New York’s JFK Airport before he
was allowed to join his family, who had already been admitted. Another
Iraqi, Haider Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi, was released on Saturday after
24 hours’ detention during his trip to Texas to join his wife and son.
Ten others were still being held at JFK last night as protesters
gathered outside to condemn the Muslim ban and a 120-day suspension on
taking in refugees.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on their behalf,
and on Saturday night a judge in the federal court for the Eastern
District of New York issued a stay, barring the US from deporting any of
those detained.
Judge Ann Donnelly ruled that deportation would cause them
“irreparable harm”, though her order did not compel immigration
officials to release any of those being held.
The stay is effective across the US, and the ACLU plans to widen the suit to encompass all those affected by the ban.
An untold number of foreign-born US residents now travelling
outside the country could be stuck overseas for at least three months,
while many who are in the country cannot leave.
Those already in the US with a visa or green card would be allowed
to stay, according to one official, who wished to remain anonymous.
Among those also believed to be affected is Olympic hero Mo Farah,
who is a British passport holder but was born in Somalia – one of seven
countries to which travel restrictions apply.
It emerged late on Saturday that the restrictions would also apply to people with dual citizenship – including Brits.
The gold medal-winner – who now lives in the US – is understood to
be away training in Ethiopia – meaning he may not be able to return home
to his family.
A Tory MP and his wife are also among those affected by the travel ban.
Nadhim Zahawi, MP for Stratford-upon-Avon, today revealed he and
his wife were both unable to travel to the US because they were born in
Iraq.
He wrote on Twitter: “What if you are British of Iraqi origin, as I am? A sad sad day to feel like a second class citizen! Sad day for the USA.”
The politician later followed this up with a second post, tweeting:
“Had confirmation that the order does apply to myself and my wife as we
were both born in Iraq. Even if we are not dual Nat.”
Officials in Egypt also prevented seven migrants from boarding a flight to the US yesterday.
There were also fears last night that Iranian film director Asghar
Farhadi, 45, will not be allowed to attend next month’s Oscars. He is up
for a Best Foreign Film Academy Award for The Salesman. He won the
category in 2012.
Iran, one of the seven nations barred by Mr Trump, called the ban
an insult. It vowed to block all US citizens from entering its country
in response. In Turkey, PM Theresa May refused three times to condemn
the US stand. But after arriving back from Ankara her spokesman said: “We do not agree with this kind of approach.”
Trump said the ban was “working out very nicely”.
Some of the chaos and confusion was blamed on the Trump
administration, which has yet to issue guidance to airlines on how to
implement the executive order.
A senior Homeland Security official told NBC News: "Nobody has any idea what is going on."
Source: The Sun UK
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