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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2017/jan/28/world-digests-donald-trumps-order-to-ban-refugees-from-muslim-countries
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| Donald Trump refugee ban: 'arrivals from targeted countries stopped at US airports' – live | Donald Trump refugee ban: 'arrivals from targeted countries stopped at US airports' – live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 12.18pm GMT | |
| 12:18 | |
| Jamie Grierson | |
| The Liberal democrat leader, Tim Farron, has drawn parallels between May’s visit with Trump and her meeting with Erdogan. calling the pair “unsavoury leaders”. In a statement he said: | |
| As Theresa May seeks trade deals with ever more unsavoury leaders, she ignores the simple point that the most successful countries around the world respect human rights - economies flourish in free societies. | |
| There are tens of thousands of people in Turkish jails without fair trial who in many cases have committed no crime, other than daring to disagree with President Erdogan. Theresa May should address this as a priority in her meeting today. | |
| Yes, the Prime Minister should seek to promote British trade, but at this time her priority should be to secure a long-term trade deal with our European neighbours by fighting to stay in the single market. | |
| 12.15pm GMT | |
| 12:15 | |
| Jamie Grierson | |
| Twelve nobel laureates are among thousands of signatories to a petition calling on Trump to renounce the ban on refugees and to reconsider the executive order, my colleague Saeed Kamali Dehghan says. | |
| The petition says the executive order is discriminatory, detrimental to the national interests of the US and will tear families apart. | |
| It has been backed by academics from the US’s most prestigious universities including several Nobel Laureates, fields medalists, National Academy members, and John Bates Clark medalists. | |
| The petition is found here: https://notoimmigrationban.com/ | |
| Updated | |
| at 12.16pm GMT | |
| 12.05pm GMT | |
| 12:05 | |
| Saeed Kamali Dehghan | |
| Iranian-British Cyrus Abbasian, who works as an NHS consultant psychiatrist, said he felt discriminated against given that he has lived in the UK since aged 10. “A total ban of Iranian citizens entering US, just because they are Iranian, is not only highly prejudicial and illogical but will defeat its purpose,” he said. | |
| “It will likely only lead to mistrust, division and alienation. It also resonates of the bad old days I thought was well behind us, when minorities were systematically blamed or scapegoated usually with tragic consequences.” | |
| Pooya Ghoddousi, an Iranian PhD student, said “the beginning of the end even started while Obama was still in power when the discriminatory HR158 bill [about dual nationals] was passed by the congress and signed by Obama.” He was referring to measures that targeted dual nationals from Iran, as well as Iraq, Syria and Sudan. Under the 2015 measures, Iranians with dual citizenship from European countries who could previously visit the US for 90 days without a visa must since obtain one. | |
| He said: “I want Americans to know that I do not judge them based on the actions of their government. I want them not to judge me based on the actions of mine.” | |
| Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, Reuters’ Iran reporter, tweeted earlier this week: “I can’t visit my mum in Tehran due to #Iran’s political restrictions & now my mum can’t see my brother in US after #Trump’s executive order!” | |
| 12.05pm GMT | |
| 12:05 | |
| Saeed Kamali Dehghan | |
| Visa bans on Iranians have drawn huge condemnations, with one Iranian actor, whose film is nominated for an Oscar, saying on Thursday that she would boycott the awards over the decision. | |
| Sheyda Monshizadeh-Azar said she was horrified. “These blanket bans on all Iranians are discriminatory and will rip families apart. I am an optimistic person but today I feel defeated,” she said. | |
| Meysam, an Iranian civil engineer, said new restrictions would mostly affect Iranian students. “Hundreds of Iranian engineers who would like to apply for various universities in the USA may have to think about other options like Canada or Australia. This rule mainly affects university graduates not so-called terrorists or black-listed politicians.” | |
| Iranian-Americans say they are among the US’s most successful immigrant groups, with many Iranians having held senior positions at various organisations from Nasa to Apple, eBay (whose founder is Iranian), Dropbox and Facebook. | |
| 11.37am GMT | 11.37am GMT |
| 11:37 | 11:37 |
| Jamie Doward | Jamie Doward |
| The ban has already made some people reconsider their plans. | The ban has already made some people reconsider their plans. |
| Mohammad Saghafi, an undergraduate electric engineering student in Tehran Azad University, told the Khaleej Times that he was thinking twice about trying to pursue further education in the US because of the ban. | Mohammad Saghafi, an undergraduate electric engineering student in Tehran Azad University, told the Khaleej Times that he was thinking twice about trying to pursue further education in the US because of the ban. |
| “I may continue my education in Canada or Germany,” he said. “Their leaders do not react like teenagers, at least.” | “I may continue my education in Canada or Germany,” he said. “Their leaders do not react like teenagers, at least.” |
| In the days before the order was issued, the Director of CAIR, Nihad Awad, tweeted: “These EOs (executive orders) will not make our nation safer, rather they will make it more fearful and less welcoming.” | In the days before the order was issued, the Director of CAIR, Nihad Awad, tweeted: “These EOs (executive orders) will not make our nation safer, rather they will make it more fearful and less welcoming.” |
| The council said that it would hold a news conference on Monday to announce the filing of a federal lawsuit on behalf of more than 20 individuals challenging what it called the “Muslim ban”. | The council said that it would hold a news conference on Monday to announce the filing of a federal lawsuit on behalf of more than 20 individuals challenging what it called the “Muslim ban”. |
| Hooper said it appeared that border officials had been anticipating the order for several days. | Hooper said it appeared that border officials had been anticipating the order for several days. |
| We had been getting reports of people being turned away after landing days before the order (was issued). We don’t know what’s going on it’s just a great state of confusion and apprehension. It’s going to be the Wild West out there. People are taking it upon themselves to carry out the indiscrimination that’s in this order. | We had been getting reports of people being turned away after landing days before the order (was issued). We don’t know what’s going on it’s just a great state of confusion and apprehension. It’s going to be the Wild West out there. People are taking it upon themselves to carry out the indiscrimination that’s in this order. |
| 11.36am GMT | 11.36am GMT |
| 11:36 | 11:36 |
| Jamie Doward | Jamie Doward |
| There were reports that some border officials were confused about their new instructions and unhappy about what was being asked of them. | There were reports that some border officials were confused about their new instructions and unhappy about what was being asked of them. |
| Ibrahim Hooper, communications director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) told the Guardian: | Ibrahim Hooper, communications director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) told the Guardian: |
| I got a report of somebody who had just returned and had been pulled aside at the airport and was being detained and they were saying the agents don’t know what to do with them. We’re mainly starting to get questions from people, who have green cards and who are overseas and are returning now, about whether they are going to be allowed back into the country. We’re getting questions from young people who are going to go on ummas -lesser pilgrimages- in a group. They’re American citizens and they’re wondering should they go, should they postpone? I personally got a call from someone who has a green card and is overseas and had just booked the first flight they could get. They were actually on their way back trying to make it back home to their American citizen husband and children, not knowing when they land whether they will be allowed into the country. That’s what we’re getting right now. | I got a report of somebody who had just returned and had been pulled aside at the airport and was being detained and they were saying the agents don’t know what to do with them. We’re mainly starting to get questions from people, who have green cards and who are overseas and are returning now, about whether they are going to be allowed back into the country. We’re getting questions from young people who are going to go on ummas -lesser pilgrimages- in a group. They’re American citizens and they’re wondering should they go, should they postpone? I personally got a call from someone who has a green card and is overseas and had just booked the first flight they could get. They were actually on their way back trying to make it back home to their American citizen husband and children, not knowing when they land whether they will be allowed into the country. That’s what we’re getting right now. |
| 11.35am GMT | 11.35am GMT |
| 11:35 | 11:35 |
| Jamie Doward | Jamie Doward |
| One notable casualty of the new order appeared to be the Iranian film director Asghar Farhadi who is nominated for an Oscar in the best foreign language film. Farhadi said he was concerned that he would no longer be able to enter the US for the ceremony as a result of the order. | One notable casualty of the new order appeared to be the Iranian film director Asghar Farhadi who is nominated for an Oscar in the best foreign language film. Farhadi said he was concerned that he would no longer be able to enter the US for the ceremony as a result of the order. |
| Trita Parsi, president of NIAC, tweeted: | Trita Parsi, president of NIAC, tweeted: |
| Confirmed: Iran's Asghar Farhadi won't be let into the US to attend Oscar's. He's nominated for best foreign language film...#MuslimBan | Confirmed: Iran's Asghar Farhadi won't be let into the US to attend Oscar's. He's nominated for best foreign language film...#MuslimBan |
| NIAC said it had learned that a daughter of a greencard holding Iranian family living in the US had been removed from her plane bound for the US from Dubai. | NIAC said it had learned that a daughter of a greencard holding Iranian family living in the US had been removed from her plane bound for the US from Dubai. |
| After five hours of questioning she was allowed by Dubai officials to board another flight to the US. | After five hours of questioning she was allowed by Dubai officials to board another flight to the US. |
| Later, Parsi reported on Twitter that he had learned of “another Iranian student with multiple entry visa who was denied entry as she returned to the US from from Europe.” | Later, Parsi reported on Twitter that he had learned of “another Iranian student with multiple entry visa who was denied entry as she returned to the US from from Europe.” |
| Parsi said it appeared that US border officials were deciding on whether green card holders could re-enter the US on a “case by case” basis which involved asking individuals about their political views. | Parsi said it appeared that US border officials were deciding on whether green card holders could re-enter the US on a “case by case” basis which involved asking individuals about their political views. |
| 11.33am GMT | 11.33am GMT |
| 11:33 | 11:33 |
| Jamie Doward | Jamie Doward |
| Within hours of Trump signing the executive order banning nationals from seven countries from entering the US, human rights groups and NGOs reported that they had been inundated with calls from people concerned that they will not be able to get back into the country. | Within hours of Trump signing the executive order banning nationals from seven countries from entering the US, human rights groups and NGOs reported that they had been inundated with calls from people concerned that they will not be able to get back into the country. |
| The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) described it as worse than a draft form that had been leaked earlier in the week. In a statement, the council said: | The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) described it as worse than a draft form that had been leaked earlier in the week. In a statement, the council said: |
| As a result, we strongly recommend Iranian green card holders not leave the country until further clarity is achieved. | As a result, we strongly recommend Iranian green card holders not leave the country until further clarity is achieved. |
| Social media was alive with claims that people being denied entry to the US -even, in some cases, if they were green card holders. | Social media was alive with claims that people being denied entry to the US -even, in some cases, if they were green card holders. |
| The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) said it had received reports that green card holders and other visa holders have been denied boarding and admission into the United States at airports. | The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) said it had received reports that green card holders and other visa holders have been denied boarding and admission into the United States at airports. |
| Abed A. Ayoub, the ADC’s legal director, said on Twitter that he had received many questions from concerned members. | Abed A. Ayoub, the ADC’s legal director, said on Twitter that he had received many questions from concerned members. |
| I have received many questions from concerned community members. I am doing my best to answer each and every one. Thnx 4 patience #MuslimBan | I have received many questions from concerned community members. I am doing my best to answer each and every one. Thnx 4 patience #MuslimBan |
| Ayoub tweeted that visas were being denied immediately and that there was “chaos at airports and in the air.” | Ayoub tweeted that visas were being denied immediately and that there was “chaos at airports and in the air.” |
| “Additional reports of green card holder being stopped,” he added. “This is not a drill. It is happening.” | “Additional reports of green card holder being stopped,” he added. “This is not a drill. It is happening.” |
| 11.30am GMT | 11.30am GMT |
| 11:30 | 11:30 |
| Heather Stewart | Heather Stewart |
| Guardian political editor, Heather Stewart, is in Ankara where the UK prime minister, has just been asked what she thinks about Trump’s refugee ban. | Guardian political editor, Heather Stewart, is in Ankara where the UK prime minister, has just been asked what she thinks about Trump’s refugee ban. |
| Asked what May thinks about Trump's executive order banning refugees, Downing St refers me to remarks in her Philadelphia speech (1/2) | Asked what May thinks about Trump's executive order banning refugees, Downing St refers me to remarks in her Philadelphia speech (1/2) |
| "There may be occasions on which we disagree. But the common values and interests that bring us together are hugely powerful." May on US-UK. | "There may be occasions on which we disagree. But the common values and interests that bring us together are hugely powerful." May on US-UK. |
| 11.28am GMT | 11.28am GMT |
| 11:28 | 11:28 |
| Jamie Grierson | Jamie Grierson |
| Former UK foreign secretary David Miliband has called Trump’s refugee ban a “harmful and hasty” decision. | Former UK foreign secretary David Miliband has called Trump’s refugee ban a “harmful and hasty” decision. |
| The ex-Labour MP, who is now the president of humanitarian aid body the International Rescue Committee (IRC), said: | The ex-Labour MP, who is now the president of humanitarian aid body the International Rescue Committee (IRC), said: |
| America must remain true to its core values. America must remain a beacon of hope. | America must remain true to its core values. America must remain a beacon of hope. |
| The IRC said that the US vetting process for prospective refugees is already robust involving biometric screening and up to 36 months of vetting by “12 to 15 government agencies”. | The IRC said that the US vetting process for prospective refugees is already robust involving biometric screening and up to 36 months of vetting by “12 to 15 government agencies”. |
| Miliband praised America’s previous record as a resettlement destination, and added: | Miliband praised America’s previous record as a resettlement destination, and added: |
| This is no time for America to turn its back on people ready to become patriotic Americans. | This is no time for America to turn its back on people ready to become patriotic Americans. |
| 11.17am GMT | 11.17am GMT |
| 11:17 | 11:17 |
| A report from Reuters, citing congressional sources and Republicans close to the White House, says Trump and his advisers are considering rescinding a signature policy of the Obama administration that shields young immigrants from deportation. | A report from Reuters, citing congressional sources and Republicans close to the White House, says Trump and his advisers are considering rescinding a signature policy of the Obama administration that shields young immigrants from deportation. |
| Reuters reports: | Reuters reports: |
| Even though Trump campaigned on a promise to roll back Obama’s executive orders on immigration, the Republican has so far left intact an order safeguarding 750,000 people who were brought to the United States illegally as children, known as the “dreamers.” | Even though Trump campaigned on a promise to roll back Obama’s executive orders on immigration, the Republican has so far left intact an order safeguarding 750,000 people who were brought to the United States illegally as children, known as the “dreamers.” |
| The issue has become a flashpoint for White House advisers divided between a more moderate faction such as chief of staff Reince Priebus and immigration hardliners Stephen Miller and Steve Bannon, said a former congressional aide who has been involved with immigration issues in Washington. | The issue has become a flashpoint for White House advisers divided between a more moderate faction such as chief of staff Reince Priebus and immigration hardliners Stephen Miller and Steve Bannon, said a former congressional aide who has been involved with immigration issues in Washington. |
| Priebus has said publicly that Trump will work with Congress to get a “long-term solution” on the issue. | Priebus has said publicly that Trump will work with Congress to get a “long-term solution” on the issue. |
| Meanwhile, Miller and Bannon, former head of right-wing website Breitbart News, have pushed Trump to take a harder approach and rescind the protections. | Meanwhile, Miller and Bannon, former head of right-wing website Breitbart News, have pushed Trump to take a harder approach and rescind the protections. |