Growing fallout from Trump’s new immigration crackdown
ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Donald Trump signs an executive order on extreme vetting during an event at the Pentagon.
WASHINGTON >> The fallout grew Saturday from President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown as U.S. legal permanent residents and visa-holders from seven Muslim-majority countries who had left the United States found they could not return for 90 days.
It was a period of limbo for an unknown number of non-American citizens from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen now barred from the country where they were studying or had lived, perhaps for years.
A federal law enforcement official who confirmed the temporary ban said there was an exemption for foreigners whose entry is in the U.S. national interest. It was not immediately clear how that exemption might be applied.
Trump’s order exempts diplomats.
Those already in the U.S. with a visa or green card will be allowed to stay, according to the official, who wasn’t authorized to publicly discuss the details of how Trump’s order was being put in place and spoke only on condition of anonymity.
Customs and Border Protection was notifying airlines about passengers whose visas had been canceled or legal residents scheduled to fly back to the U.S. Airlines were being told to keep them off those flights.
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Trump’s order barred all refugees from entering the U.S. for four months, and indefinitely halted any from Syria. He said the ban was needed to keep out “radical Islamic terrorists.”
The next group of refugees was due to arrive in the U.S. on Monday, but the official said they would not be allowed into the country.
The president’s order immediately suspended a program that last year resettled in the U.S. roughly 85,000 people displaced by war, political oppression, hunger and religious prejudice. Trump indefinitely blocked those fleeing Syria, where a civil war has raged, and imposed a 90-day ban on all immigration to the U.S. from the seven Muslim majority nations.
“We want to ensure that we are not admitting into our country the very threats our soldiers are fighting overseas,” Trump said as he signed the order at the Pentagon. “We only want to admit those into our country who will support our country and love deeply our people.”
Trump said the halt in the refugee program was necessary to give agencies time to develop a stricter screening system. While the order did not spell out what additional steps he wants the departments of Homeland Security and State to take, the president directed officials to review the refugee application and approval process and find any more measures that could prevent those who pose a threat from using the refugee program.
The U.S. may admit refugees on a case-by-case basis during the freeze, and the government will continue to process requests from people claiming religious persecution, “provided that the religion of the individual is a minority religion in the individual’s country.”
In an interview with CBN News, Trump said persecuted Christians would be given priority in applying for refugee status.
“We are going to help them,” Trump said. “They’ve been horribly treated.”
The order was signed on Trump’s most robust day of national security and foreign policy at the start of his presidency. He met with British Prime Minister Theresa May and had a lengthy phone call with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
As a candidate, Trump called for a temporary ban on all Muslim immigration to the U.S. He later shifted his focus to putting in place “extreme vetting” procedures to screen people coming to the U.S. from countries with terrorism ties.
The State Department said the three-month ban in the directive applied to Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen — all Muslim-majority nations.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations said it would challenge the constitutionality of the executive order.
“There is no evidence that refugees — the most thoroughly vetted of all people entering our nation — are a threat to national security,” Lena F. Masri, the group’s national litigation director. “This is an order that is based on bigotry, not reality.”
During the past budget year, the U.S. accepted 84,995 refugees, including 12,587 people from Syria. President Barack Obama had set the refugee limit for this budget year at 110,000.
According to Trump’s executive order, he plans to cut that to 50,000. Refugee processing was suspended in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks and restarted months later.
The president was applauded by House Speaker Paul Ryan, who said it was “time to re-evaluate and strengthen the visa-vetting process.”
But many Democrats cast the measures as un-American.
“Tears are running down the cheeks of the Statue of Liberty tonight as a grand tradition of America, welcoming immigrants, that has existed since America was founded has been stomped upon,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York.
53 responses to “Growing fallout from Trump’s new immigration crackdown”
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Chill people, so you close the door for a few months to set up a system better blind acceptance. Is the SA going to set up a permanent column just for Trump updates?
Most news outlets cover whatever the US president does on a daily basis.
That’s a le. They covered up ev everything Odumbo did, constantly
Did SA and the rest cover Wendell Callahan, a cradk coccaine dealer realeased from prison early in Ohio under the Obama plan who brutally murdered her 32 year old girfriend and then murdered her 7 anf 10 year children to eliminate them as eyewitnesses of the murder of her mother?
I just LOVE our new President. We finally have a true leader who is working for the USA.
this is going to be a GREAT 8 years !!
He’s done more in a week than Obama did in 8 years, couldn’t be happier! It’s going to be a GREAT 8 years!!
ACLU update – A federal judge just stayed part of Trump’s illegal immigration fiasco.
The fighting begins. This is fun!
He shot Go Aid in your face. Suck it up trumpies.
Madness.
What is “madness” is not adequately screening immigrants who come into this country thus enabling potential terrorists from slipping in. Obama chose not to screen anyone – that is madness – unless of course you prefer to allow terrorists in unchecked.
Of course, that is a lie. Under obama, all immigrants were screened thouroughly. Although no screening process is 100% infallible, experts have said the tourist visa program is more problematic.
Oh, yes, under Obama all immigrants were screened thoroughly. How do you explain how Tashfeen Malik, an avowed jihadist with ties to radical Islamic groups, was allowed to enter the country to marry Syed Rizwan Farook? They were the friendly next door neighbors who murdered 14 people in the San Bernardino terrorists attack.
That’s coolaid BS. The truth was, that even Odumbo’s agencies said they did not even have any info. to vet people from countries like Syria, Yemen, Libya, Iraq etc. with their gov’ts in chaos.
Actually, there was quite a bit of screening, but, Trump deserves some credit by placing basically a moratorium on entry until we can put procedures in place to ensure the people we let in are what we want.
White Christians?
He certainly didn’t implement it very well. No announcement that the order goes in effect on such and such a date so preparations could be made. Now there’s all this chaos at the airports as people being are being held. People with Green Cards. People who are dual nationals. Those folks are refugees at all. If you have a Green Card it certainly means you’ve been vetted.
Also I think it’s extremely odd that if you’re worried about terrorists Saudi Arabia and Pakistan aren’t on the list. Those places are real hotbeds of terrorism.
Or stories like this; this woman wasn’t even trying to come to the US. She lives in the UK (from the Guardian):
Hamaseh Tayari, a UK resident who holds an Iranian passport, has been on holiday in Costa Rica with her boyfriend for the last week. She was due to fly back to Glasgow, where she works as a vet, this morning but was denied entry onto the flight because her flight went via New York and she would need a transit visa, which was revoked.
Tayari, who grew up in Italy, has never experienced anything like this. She says: “This has really shocked me. We just discovered [what Trump did] at the airport when we went to check in. I want people to know that this is not just happening to refugees. I am a graduate and I have a PhD. It has happened to a person who is working and who pays tax.”
Tayari and her boyfriend are trying to find an alternative route home. A flight to Madrid on the 30 January will cost them £2,000 and they’ll still have to find a way from there to Glasgow. “We had been saving for months for this holiday and it will cost me a month’s salary just to get home,” she said.
“I am destroyed. I did not know that I could cry for so long. It feels like the beginning of the end. How this is possible? I am really afraid about what is going on.”
They ought to try going through Canada where PM Trudeau says they are welcomed.
Trump, obviously, is unable to govern. People are already talking “worst President in history” level incompetence.
His administration is a complete train wreck.
Poi, this IS the announcement!
Well, he’s doing exactly what he said he would do if elected, unlike many others before him. So half the country is elated, the other half is having a nervous breakdown.
Great comment, bumba. It’s like a no-win for Trump with the media. If he doesn’t do something that he said during his campaign or changes it a bit, the media blasts him. When Trump is doing what he said he’d do, the media blasts him. A bit odd UNLESS, most of the media are left biased which they are including the major networks such as ABC, NBC, and CBS, and yes, our very own SA. And as we can tell whether we like it or not, Trump is more about action than words that many would like to hear. Interesting times.
Bumba read the article. This woman was on a layover in the U.S and was stopped. Imagine if you were in Europe and needed to stop in a country that banned Americans. How do you get home? Planes need to stop to refuel and drop off/ pick up passengers.
Stopped from boarding her flight to the U.S.
Well, my nephew, who works in International Agencies, says” You go to your Embassy”
How convenient! It’s just around the corner, right?
Alright. . . . a leader with gonads (unlike the previous jester). If the immigrants are legal and pass protocol, let ’em in. Otherwise, slam the door, build the wall.
Why is this Country so hell bent on opening our doors to whoever wants to walk in. I do not see a problem with closing the doors until we can get our own house in order and clean up the mess left by Obama and his administration. It is refreshing to see our President actually doing something for the betterment of our Country and people instead of talking about it. It is about time the Country starts taking care of its own first. Time will only tell how successful he will be but at least he is trying. So my advise to all you left wing radicals who oppose President Trump, Pack your bags and leave or get on board the Trump Train and enjoy the ride.
The airline industry is going to take a big hit. Radical foreigners are in reality a minuscule percentage of the worlds population. Imagine if our governor did something similar. Our tourism industry would be devastated. The Chump and his supporters are narrow minded idi-ts. Get the b-m out of the White House and country. Send him back home to Russia.
Cry baby loser.
Just matter of time before congress will need to reel the mongrel in. The Chumps opposition is growing worldwide and the U.S cannot afford to have this lunatic to continue as he is or the damage will be irreparable.
Native American should have slaughtered the pale face before they migrated. Nothing but stealing land and back stabbing.
Open wide davcon,tommorrow trumpf will shoot more GOO AID into the air. Lick it up clean
So sad that the Donald is being ruled by imaginary fears. This will result in greater threats against America. Hope the Donald now reads his daily briefing memos or will he say after an attack on Trump Tower that no one ever anticipated such an attack? Poor Donald, so afraid of mean ole terrorists. Wake up Donald or we will be facing a new 9/11.
You can’t recognize a real leader after the last girly man. Don’t pound your chest now after you lost, loser!
Boots – The problem is that Trump is, and always has been, a loathsome coward. He’s afraid of germs, shaking hands and Syrian widows and babies.
Trump is a pathetic, draft dodging coward.
It’ll be interesting to watch how he’ll react when the first Trump labeled building is attacked or destroyed. It’s just a matter of time.
forget CAIR there nothing but a paid front from the Muslim Brotherhood stirring up trouble within the U.S.
That’s a lie, of course. But you aren’t a friend of the truth.
its not a lie in 2007 the holy land foundation in Houston was raided for money fraud and they found documents that showed the muslim brotherhood is supplying money and is a front for a lot of Islamic institutions like cair, msa[muslim student association] and other groups in the college system its all true facts, you can look up the holy land foundation incident in 2007. and then you will see that you aren’t a friend of the truth. because the truth hurts you.
Good grief. Are you in grammar school? Can you not write a single coherent sentence?
You wrote that CAIR is a paid front group. That is a lie, just like everything else you write.
An update from the ACLU. Please volunteer if you are an attorney or join the ACLU.
Trump is trampling on the law and the Constitution and he will be stopped. He is a psychotic. Obviously.
This morning the ACLU and several other legal organizations filed a lawsuit on behalf of two Iraqi men who were en route to the United States when President Trump issued an executive order banning many Muslims from entering the country.
The lead plaintiffs were detained by the U.S. government and threatened with deportation – even though they have valid visas to enter the United States.
One plaintiff, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, worked for the U.S. military. His life was in danger in his home country due to that relationship. A former Obama administration official and platoon commander during the invasion of Iraq said on Twitter yesterday that Mr. Darweesh “spent years keeping U.S. soldiers alive in combat in Iraq.”
The family of the other plaintiff, Haider Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi, was also threatened because of perceived ties to the United States. His wife and 7-year-old son are lawful permanent residents living in Houston, Texas and were eagerly awaiting his arrival. Mr. Alshawi’s son has not seen his father for three years.
Tellingly, Trump’s executive order authorizes the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security to admit refugees on a “case-by-case” basis, for people of a minority religion in their home countries. In effect, Trump has barred Muslims from entering the United States, while favoring the entry of Christians.
Mr. Darweesh was just released from detention at John F. Kennedy International Airport this afternoon, but Mr. Alshawi and others remain in detention. The ACLU and its supporters will not stand for the Trump administration’s unconstitutional discrimination. Today, and every day, we will fight back.
For more information on our lawsuit, please see https://www.aclu.org/cases/darweesh-v-trump.
Thank you for standing with us. We’re going to win this case.
The ACLU Action team
don’t forget all you lawyers when you join the American Communist Liberal Union do not forget your commie armbands.
Have fun marinating in your ignorance and hate.
ACLU never defended anyone who was conservative and not a tinhat Dem. Their a bigoted organization and truly never cared for Everyone’s Constitutional rights
“This is an order that is based on bigotry, not reality.”
Um, NO, it is based on the need to protect US citizens from the “Potential” terrorists.
“Potential” terrorists from these seven countries? What history or proof is there? Meanwhile, let’s keep the door wide open for Saudi Arabia, which spawned 15 of the 19 hijackers from 911. This is a thinly disguised ban on Muslims. What’s next? Internment camps?
Yes, you may take off your Dem tin foil hat and emerge from under the rock you have been living under listening to CNN 24/7.
Trump had better have an actual plan to wipe out terrorism. If he has no plan, things will get worse.
We all (including his supporters) KNOW he had no real plan during the election campaign. It was tough cowboy talk designed to make people feel better and to get him votes.
The problem with getting tough on travel and immigration is that it feeds the hate of extremists. It’s bulletin board material, which ISIS will exploit to motivate its soldiers and new recruits. ISIS is wicked smart. They pay attention to details, don’t worry about being fair.
Does the salesman have an actual plan? Beyond believing that he knows “more than all the generals?” Good luck.
ACLU update – A federal judge just stayed part of Trump’s illegal immigration fiasco.
The fighting begins. This is fun!
yeah,right-like isis needs motivation to kill the infidels-grow up.
Wake up and explain what the plan is.
Everytime I go through TSA, I’m reminded why I’m treated like a second class citizen. I served this country honorably for over 20 years, not one blemish on my record, yet I’m subjected like I might be a terrorist to the country I swore to protect. Finally we have someone who loves Americans and wants to put us first. What’s wrong with that? I’ll never vote for a Dem forever.
What does voting for a democrat have to do with how you’re treated by the tsa? You think anything’s going to change? You think americans should be given a pass going through security? Not gonna happen. Nor should it.