X

Not a Muslim ban, says Donald Trump even as thousands protest against new US travel restrictions

Donald Trump claimed that the order is aimed at keeping America safe

Demonstrators thronged at the Dulles International Airport outside Washington on Sunday in support of the immigrants who are facing the heat of US President Donald Trump’s travel restrictions. The Trump administration meanwhile, is showing no signs of backing down on its order which bans refugees, migrants and even green-card holders from seven mostly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Not just at the airport, protests took place outside the White House and across the US too.

Trump in turn, defended the ban and insisted that his decision would protect the country from terrorists. “US would continue showing compassion to those fleeing oppression. America has always been the land of the free and home of the brave. We will keep it free and keep it safe, as the media knows, but refuses to say,” Trump said in a statement on Sunday.

He also claimed that the order was not a Muslim ban and asserted that all he is aiming for is to keep America safe.
The controversial order was signed by the President at the Pentagon on Friday.

Trump added that the move was nothing different but similar to what his predecessor Barack Obama did in the past. “My policy is similar to what President (Barack) Obama did in 2011 when he banned visas for refugees from Iraq for six months.” These countries “are the same countries previously identified by the Obama administration as sources of terror,” Trump’s statement said.

He assured that the US would again issue visas to all countries once they have reviewed and implemented the “most secure policies” over the next 90 days.