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Trump’s Executive Order On Immigration Causes
Havoc At U.S. Airports |
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January 29, 2017
- On Friday President Trump signed and executive
order on immigration that went into affect on
Saturday which now bars Syrian refugees from
entering the United States, suspended all
refugee admissions into the United States for
120 days.
In addition, the order bars citizens of seven
Muslim-majority countries, refugees or
otherwise, from entering the United States for
90 days: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan,
Syria and Yemen.
Outside of the Washington belt not many were
aware that Trump would sign such an order as the
administration feared possible repercussions.
As a result, a number of travelers from these
countries who had booked a flight to the United
Sates and on board a flight that was enroute to
the U.S. found themselves detained at airports
across the United States on Saturday when they
landed.
This order also prevented flight crews,
passengers holding a green card or visa from
these counties from entering the United States. |
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A spokeswoman
from Emirates airline reported the carrier had
to change flight attendant and pilot rosters on
services to the United States in order to follow
the U.S. travel ban as some of their flight
attendants and pilots are citizens from one of
the seven Muslim-majority countries. Emirates
airlines employs over 23,000 flight attendants
and around 4,000 pilots from around the world
including from the US, Europe and Middle East,
the spokeswoman said.
On Saturday,
protesters across the country protested in the
streets and at a number of U.S. international
airports including JFK airport in New York City
to denounce Trump’s order on immigration. Late
in the day a federal judge in Brooklyn, New York
blocked part of Trump’s executive order on
immigration allowing some of the travelers
effected by this order to stay in the U.S. The
Department of Homeland Security said that the
order also barred green card holders from those
countries from re-entering the United States. |
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Just before 9 PM,
Federal District Court in Brooklyn, Judge Ann M.
Donnelly
ruled that the government was “enjoined and
restrained from, in any manner and by any means,
removing individuals” who had arrived in the United
States with valid visas or refugee status. Lawyers who
sued the government to block the executive order on
immigration said the judge’s decision could affect an
estimated 100 to 200 passengers that were detained upon
arrival at U.S. airports.
On Sunday the Department of Homeland Security released a
press release that stated - The Department of Homeland
Security will continue to enforce all of the president’s
Executive Orders in a manner that ensures the safety and
security of the American people. The president’s
Executive Orders remain in place—prohibited travel will
remain prohibited, and the U.S. government retains its
right to revoke visas at any time if required for
national security or public safety. The president’s
Executive Order affects a minor portion of international
travelers, and is a first step towards reestablishing
control over America's borders and national security.
Approximately 80 million international travelers enter
the United States every year. Yesterday, less than one
percent of the more than 325,000 international air
travelers who arrive every day were inconvenienced while
enhanced security measures were implemented. These
individuals went through enhanced security screenings
and are being processed for entry to the United States,
consistent with our immigration laws and judicial
orders.
The Department of Homeland Security will faithfully
execute the immigration laws, and we will treat all of
those we encounter humanely and with professionalism. No
foreign national in a foreign land, without ties to the
United States, has any unfettered right to demand entry
into the United States or to demand immigration benefits
in the United States. The Department of Homeland
Security will comply with judicial orders; faithfully
enforce our immigration laws, and implement the
president’s Executive Orders to ensure that those
entering the United States do not pose a threat to our
country or the American people.
Update- Late in the day the Department of Homeland
Security released a second notice regarding Trump's
executive order on immigration - In applying the
provisions of the president's executive order, I hereby
deem the entry of lawful permanent residents to be in
the national interest. Accordingly, absent the receipt
of significant derogatory information indicating a
serious threat to public safety and welfare, lawful
permanent resident status will be a dispositive factor
in our case-by-case determinations. |
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