Donald Trump has signed an executive order entitled ‘Protection of the nation from foreign terrorist entry into the United States‘, suspending the US refugee resettlement program and the issuing of visas to people from majority Muslim countries.
Within hours of the signing, travellers were already being detained and turned back at airports in America and overseas, including an Iraqi family of four who had American visas but were forbidden from boarding a New York-bound flight from Cairo.
The knock-on effects of the ban are also being felt – overnight, it was reported that Asghr Farhadi, director of the Oscar-nominated Iranian film The Salesman, will be unable to enter the United States to attend the Academy Awards.
Amidst the current climate of uncertainty, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has released a statement, hitting out at Trump’s executive order and reminding his followers that “the United States is a nation of immigrants and we should be proud of that.”
The post, made to his personal Facebook page, began with a reference to his and his wife Priscilla’s immigrant heritage:
My great grandparents came from Germany, Austria and Poland. Priscilla’s parents were refugees from China and Vietnam. The United States is a nation of immigrants, and we should be proud of that.
Like many of you, I’m concerned about the impact of the recent executive orders signed by President Trump.
We need to keep this country safe, but we should do that by focusing on people who actually pose a threat. Expanding the focus of law enforcement beyond people who are real threats would make all Americans less safe by diverting resources, while millions of undocumented folks who don’t pose a threat will live in fear of deportation.
We should also keep our doors open to refugees and those who need help. That’s who we are. Had we turned away refugees a few decades ago, Priscilla’s family wouldn’t be here today.
He went on to argue that a blanket immigration ban will hurt America in the long term, as without the “courage and compassion to bring people together”, it will not benefit from the “best and brightest” from around the world.
Zuckerberg urged Trump to retain current protections like the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, and pledged that he and his team will personally look at ways to help in months to come.
Source: Facecbook.
Photo: David Ramos / Getty.
