Donald Trump’s seven-country Muslim ban sparks protests

USA: NYC Muslims lead mass prayer at DHS offices after Trump's immigration ban

In a flurry of calls that started early in the morning and rounded out an already frantically paced week, Trump spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has calls planned for later in the day with French President Francois Hollande and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

The conversations gave the US president an early opportunity to explain new policies that have baffled and unnerved much of the rest of the world -- particularly his order to temporarily halt all refugee arrivals and those of travelers from seven mainly Muslim countries including war-wracked Syria.

The calls also allow him to start developing ties with countries that have been close allies with the United States in recent history, as well as Russia -- a perennial foe, but a country with which Trump has said he is keen to improve relations.

US President Donald Trump speaks on the phone with Russia's President Vladimir Putin from the Oval Office of the White House. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

TRUMP’S FIRST WEEKLY ADDRESS

President Trump has posted his first address to the American people on Twitter.

He told viewers that they had started the process of getting more products made in the US by local workers. He also mentioned his plan to repeal and replace Obamacare and build a wall on the US-Mexico border.

“This admiistration has hit the ground running we’re doing it with speed, we’re doing it with intelligence,” he said.

‘EXTREME VETTING’

Trump’s pronouncement on Muslim immigration makes good on one of his most controversial campaign promises to subject travelers from Islamic countries to “extreme vetting,” which he declared would make America safe from “radical Islamic terrorists.”

“This is big stuff,” the new US president declared at the Pentagon on Friday, after signing an executive order entitled “Protection of the nation from foreign terrorist entry into the United States.”

The decree suspends the entire US refugee resettlement program for at least 120 days while tough vetting rules are established.

The new protocols “ensure that those approved for refugee admission do not pose a threat to the security and welfare of the United States.” In addition, they specifically bar Syrian refugees from the United States indefinitely, or until the president himself decides that they no longer pose a threat.

Meanwhile, no visas will be issued for 90 days to migrants or visitors from seven mainly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

Donald Trump signed an executive order to suspend refugee arrivals and impose tough controls on travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen Picture: APSource:AP

DETENTIONS ALREADY UNDERWAY

US authorities wasted no time implementing Trump’s order, detaining travellers arriving at American airports within hours of the measures being signed, media reports said.

The New York Times reported that airport officials as early as Friday night began detaining travelers, some of whom were already aboard their flights when Trump announced his executive order.

The order also lays the groundwork for what Trump has pledged will be “extreme vetting” of visa applicants’ backgrounds -- with some exceptions for members of “religious minorities,” a caveat many see as a way to apply favourable treatment to Christians from majority-Muslim states.

US rights groups filed a legal challenge Saturday after two Iraqi men were detained Friday night at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.

Protesters gather at JFK International Airport's Terminal 4 to demonstrate against US President Donald Trump's executive order. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

The American Civil Liberties Union and other advocacy groups are seeking the men’s release on grounds that they are being held unlawfully, and asked that they be freed so they could at least request asylum and avoid being sent back to Iraq.

The groups asked for their suit to be considered a class action on behalf of all people held up in the same way. The two Iraqi men have valid visas, the documents stated.

One of them had worked for the US government in Iraq for 10 years and the other was coming to America to join his wife, who had worked for a US contractor, the lawsuit said.

The former, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, was released later in the day and spoke to reporters at the airport.

Protestors rally during a protest against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Picture: GettySource:AFP

“America is the greatest nation, the greatest people in the world,” Darweesh said.

Asked what he would say to Trump, he added: “I like him. But I don’t know. This is a policy I don’t know. He’s a president. I’m a normal person.” Mark Doss, a supervising attorney at the International Refugee Project at the Urban Justice Center, said Darweesh’s detention and release showed the new policy was being implemented “with no guidance.” Immigration advocacy groups issued an appeal for demonstrations at JFK airport, which spread rapidly over social media.

According to Camille Mackler of the New York Immigration Coalition, two New York lawmakers went to the airport to try to gain access to the men.

International groups and civil liberties organizations have roundly condemned Trump’s orders.

“’Extreme vetting’ is just a euphemism for discriminating against Muslims,” said Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Romero said Trump’s order breached the US constitution’s ban on religious discrimination by choosing countries with Muslim majorities for tougher treatment.

Many foreign leaders said they were aghast over the new US policy. Iran answered in kind by saying it would ban Americans from entering the country, calling Trump’s action insulting.

But the US leader did get backing from Czech President Milos Zeman, who praised him for being “concerned with the safety of his citizens.”

Two Iraqi men were detained at New York’s JFK airport, despite the fact they reportedly held valid visas to enter the US. Picture: SuppliedSource:AP

The other man the lawyers are representing, Haider Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi, remained in custody as his legal advocates sought his release.

Mr Alshawi’s wife and brother-in-law both worked in back office jobs with a US security contractor in Iraq. He was on his way to join his wife in the United States.

When lawyers trying to reach Alshawi asked US Customs agents who they could speak to about the detention, an agent allegedly replied, “Mr. President. Call Mr Trump.”

Mr Trump’s order also said Iraqi citizens, as well as people from six other Middle Eastern countries, cannot enter the US for 90 days, and suspends the US Refugee Admissions Program for 120 days until it is reinstated “only for nationals of countries for whom” members of Mr Trump’s Cabinet deem can be properly vetted.

Port Authority Police Officers move a protester holding a sign at JFK International Airport's Terminal 4 to demonstrate against US President Donald Trump's executive order. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

The lawyers for the two men called for a hearing because they maintain the detention of people with valid visas is illegal.

“Because the executive order is unlawful as applied to petitioners, their continued detention based solely on the executive order violates their Fifth Amendment procedural and substantive due process rights,” the lawyers argue in court papers.

ZUCKERBERG SLAMS TRUMP’S BAN

It comes as Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg hit out at Mr Trump’s executive order, saying in a lengthy Facebook post that “the United States is a nation of immigrants, and we should be proud of that.”

Still, some Muslim countries were spared from Mr Trump’s blacklist, even though they have clear ties to terrorism.

According to the New York Daily News, Mr Trump doesn’t hold any business interests in any of the countries on the list, but holds major stakes in several of those excluded from it, records show.

Muslims and local immigration activists participate in a prayer and rally against Mr Trump's immigration policies in New York City. Picture: Spencer Platt/Getty Images/AFPSource:AFP

According to statistics tallied by the conservative-leaning Cato Institute, not one American was killed on US soil by citizens from any of those countries between 1975 and 2015.

However, the same set of statistics show that nearly 3000 Americans were killed by citizens from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Turkey in the same time period — with the bulk of those killed being victims of the September 11 attacks. Yet, people from those four countries are still able to apply for US visas and travel permits.

New restrictions on immigrants and refugees will mean legal permanent US residents, also known as green cards holders, from Syria and six other Muslim- majority countries will also have to be cleared into the country on a case-by-case basis, a senior US administration official said,

WORLD REACTS TO TRUMP’S MUSLIM BAN

*French President Francois Hollande: “Europe is facing a moment of truth. The issue is populism. What we are hearing from the US encourages populism and even extremism. They are saying that Europe should not take immigrants, shouldn’t stay together, not believe in climate change.

*Israel President Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted that Israel’s wall along its border with Egypt had stemmed a swell of African migrants: “President Trump is right. I built a wall along Israel’s southern border. It stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea.”

*Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim: “You cannot settle this (refugee) issue by building walls. Nobody leaves their homes for nothing.” Turkey has admitted some 3 million Syrian refugees since the start of the war in its neighbour.

“They came here to save their lives and our doors were open. And if the same thing happened again, we would do it again.”

Protesters gather at JFK International Airport's Terminal 4 to demonstrate against US President Donald Trump's executive order. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

*German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel: “’Love thy neighbor’ is part of this tradition, the act of helping others.”

*UK Prime Minister Theresa May: “The United States is responsible for the United States’ policy on refugees.”

*Far-right Dutch populist Geert Wilders, whose party is polling strongly ahead of the country’s March 15 election, said in a tweet: “No immigrants from Islamic countries.”

*Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said the new US President had “forgotten the Berlin wall fell years ago” as he attacked the planned construction, aimed at tackling illegal immigration.

“Today is not the time to erect walls between nations,” he said in a speech carried live on Iranian state television.

*Berlin’s mayor Michael Mueller said his city, which was divided from 1961 to 1989, “cannot look on without comment when a country plans to build a new wall”. “We Berliners know best how much suffering the division of a continent, cemented by barbed wire and concrete, caused,” he said.

TRUMP AND PUTIN’S PRIVATE CALL

The Kremlin said Russia’s Vladimir Putin and President Trump have agreed to work closely together and boost ties between the powers. That’s the message after the leaders spoke by telephone. It’s their first official contact since Trump took office.

A Kremlin statement said “both sides showed their readiness for active, joint work to stabilize and develop Russian-American cooperation.”

There is no immediate comment from the White House.

The Kremlin said Putin and Trump will maintain “regular personal contact” and begin preparations for a face-to-face meeting.

The Kremlin has applauded Trump’s promises to rebuild U.S.-Russian relations. They’ve been pushed to their worst level since the Cold War by the Ukraine crisis, war in Syria and allegations of Russian meddling in US elections.

Russian President Vladimir Putin talked to US President Donald Trump. Picture: APSource:AP

TURNBULL TO SPEAK TO TRUMP BY PHONE

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull remains confident a refugee deal struck with Barack Obama will stand despite Donald Trump signing his latest executive order. The US president has put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the US, just months after the Obama administration agreed to accept asylum seekers from Nauru and Manus Island.

“You will have seen the executive order that has been published today and we are very confident and satisfied that the arrangement, the existing arrangements will continue,” Mr Turnbull said.

US President Donald Trump speaks on the phone with Russia's President Vladimir Putin from the Oval Office of the White House. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

IRAQI FAMILY BARRED FROM ENTERING USA

It comes as an Iraqi family was barred from flying from Cairo to New York overnight, airport officials said.

The husband, wife and two children, who had American visas and reserved seats on an EgyptAir flight, were informed that they could not board because of the new regulation, the officials said.

But an EgyptAir official said the airline had not yet been formally notified of the new regulations.

Aerial view of the grounds of John F Kennedy International Airport in New York. Picture: SuppliedSource:AP

The family had been barred after a flight manifest was sent to New York’s JFK airport, which responded with instructions that the Iraqi family was not to board.

The airline’s website did not provide updated travel advice for the United States.

Qatar Airways, one of the largest Middle East airlines, said on its website that citizens of those seven countries could still travel to the United States if they had a permanent residence permit.

The Qatari travel alert said government officials and their immediate family members, as well as representatives of international organisations were exempt from the restrictions.

IRANIAN DIRECTOR TO MISS OSCARS AFTER BAN

The Muslim banned has affected a film director and nominee who now won’t be able to attend the ceremony in February.

Iranian movie director Asghar Farhadi, 45, made The Salesman last year which is up for best foreign language film at the Academy Awards — a gong he previously won in 2012, reports The Sun.

However, the president of the US’ largest Iranian-American grassroots organisation has claimed the decorated director won’t be able to get into the country because of a new ban issued by the White House.

Iranian director Asghar Farhadi may miss the Academy Awards due to Donald Trump’s Muslim ban. Picture: AFP/Valerie MaconSource:AFP

Trita Parsi, from the National Iranian American Council, took to Twitter to say: “Confirmed: Iran’s Asghar Farhadi won’t be let into the US to attend Oscars. He’s nominated for best foreign language film.”

Farhadi’s film A Separation was the first Iranian movie to ever win the Oscars’ best foreign language film category with an emotional Farhadi accepting the award in person from Sandra Bullock at the ceremony in 2012.

He said: “At this time, many Iranians all over the world are watching us and I imagine them to be very happy.

“At the time when talk of war, intimidation, and aggression is exchanged between politicians, the name of their country, Iran, is spoken here through her glorious culture, a rich and ancient culture that has been hidden under the heavy dust of politics.”

He added: “I proudly offer this award to the people of my country, the people who respect all cultures and civilisations and despise hostility and resentment.”

TRUMP BASHES MEDIA AGAIN

Overnight, Mr Trump also attacked two major US newspapers in a Twitter blast on a busy Saturday in which he was scheduled to speak with five world leaders, including Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Australian PM, Malcolm Turnbull.

Mr Trump criticised The New York Times and The Washington Post as being dishonest in a series of tweets that featured several typos. The reason for the early morning onslaught was not immediately clear.

Mr Trump was scheduled to speak during the day with Mr Putin and the leaders of Japan, Germany, France and Australia.

Rather than address what he did in his fast-paced first week in power, or prepare for the frenetic day ahead, Mr Trump laid into two of the most prestigious US dailies.

He has made a habit of attacking the media, which he accuses of treating him unfairly.

Mr Trump wrote on Saturday that the two papers “got me wrong right from the beginning and still have not changed course, and never will. DISHONEST.” “The failing @nytimes has been wrong about me from the very beginning. Said I would lose the primaries, then the general election. FAKE NEWS!,” he added.

Twitter is one of Mr Trump’s preferred conduits for communication. He has more than 22.5 million followers on the messaging platform.