Press. voanews.com.
President Donald
Trump is defending his tough executive order limiting Muslim immigration,
saying it is not about religion but about "terror and keeping our country
safe."Trump's statement came after the global outcry over his order that
basically halts immigration for 90 days from seven Muslim-majority countries
from which suspected terrorists come.
"America is
a proud nation of immigrants and we will continue to show compassion to those
fleeing oppression, but we will do so while protecting our own citizens and
border."
Trump noted that
former President Obama had identified the seven countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya,
Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - as sources of terror.
He pointed out
that more than 40 Muslim majority countries are unaffected by his order and
took a characteristic swipe at the media for calling his order a ban on
Muslims. Trump expressed "tremendous feeling" for those whose lives
have been destroyed by the war in Syria, saying he will find ways to help them.
But he said his first priority is protecting the U.S.
Trump's
executive order issued Friday will be in effect for 90 days, but has led to
widespread confusion. Refugees, green-card holders, students, and workers have
been detained at American airports or barred from boarding international
flights to the United States.
U.S. District
Judge Ann Donnelly in New York issued an emergency order Saturday temporarily
barring the deportation of people with valid visas being detained at U.S.
airports. The order also bars the detention of anyone with an approved refugee
application.
The judge wrote
"there is imminent danger that, absent the stay of removal, there will be
substantial and irreparable injury to refugees, visa-holders, and other
individuals from nations" who are subject to the president's order.
The Homeland
Security Department says it will comply with judicial orders, but stressed it
will continue to enforce all of the president's executive orders. But reports
from federal authorities indicated at least 170 people had been detained at
U.S. airports since Trump signed his order Friday.
Two senior
Republican senators criticized Trump's order Sunday.
"It is
clear from the confusion at our airports across the nation that President
Trump’s executive order was not properly vetted. We are particularly concerned
by reports that this order went into effect with little to no consultation with
the Departments of State, Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security, Senators
John McCain and Lindsey Graham said. “Such a hasty process risks harmful
results.
People affected
by order
Twenty-eight-year-old
Iranian national Neda Daemi, a 16-year legal U.S. resident was released after
being detained for 10 hours Saturday. Daemi spoke with two lawyers and added
she was not asked to sign any papers. She explained she had flown to Los
Angeles from Tehran, Iran, where she was visiting family members.
Somali refugee
Binto Siyad Aden and her children were released late Saturday after they were
detained in Virginia. They had arrived on a family reunion visa from Kenya. Aden’s
husband, Farhan Sulub Anshur, a U.S. citizen from Minnesota, said he believes
his wife and two children were released after a court intervened. “You can’t
image our joy and feelings now. They have been released and we are here
together at a hotel near the airport, “ Anshur said.
Anshur told
reporters his wife was subjected to a harsh treatment from law enforcement
while in detention at the airport. “They harassed her and threatened her with
handcuffs and arrest; they forced her to sign a form stating that her and her
children will be deported, but she refused to sign for the kids and told them
their father is an American citizen,” he said.
A Seattle judge
issued an emergency stay of removal from the U.S. for two people, and another
judge in Virginia banned the deportation of green card holders for seven days
and ordered immigration officials to allow detainees access to lawyers.
Other Congressional
reaction
Trump’s allies
on Capitol Hill are treading carefully amid the controversy following his
order. “We need to be careful as we do this. I think we need to be careful we
do not have religious tests in this country,” McConnell said.
Republican
Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona said Trump is right to be concerned about
national security, "but it's unacceptable when even legal permanent
residents are being detained or turned away ..." Democrats, however,
believe Trump is doing more harm and playing into the hands of the enemy.
“What Trump is
doing is harming our national security. It will incite attacks against us. ISIS
(Islamic State) is already using this ban as propaganda,” U.S. Representative
Seth Moulton said.
Kenneth
Schwartz, Mohamad Olad contributed to this report.
.jpg)
