World weighs in
Rebukes and some praise greet moves on refugees, Muslims
President Trump’s suspension BERLIN of all refugee admissions and temporary ban on millions of Muslims entering the United States drew broad international condemnation Sunday — but also some support.
“For the first time ever one can say from a nationalist perspective: keep going, USA,” Germany’s far- right National Democratic Party wrote on its Facebook page.
Trump’s executive order Friday bans all Syrian refugees indefinitely, halts refugee entries for 120 days, and restricts for three months immigrants from Libya, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen — Muslim- majority countries with a combined population of 212 million.
Late Saturday, a federal judge in New York issued an emergency stay preventing deportations for those already in the U. S. or in transit with valid visas. Similar orders were issued in Virginia and Boston.
In Turkey, which has absorbed more than 3 million refugees who fled Syria’s civil war, Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simesk said Sunday that his country would “welcome global talent not allowed back” in the U. S.
Turkey, which is overwhelmingly Muslim, is not included in Trump’s ban.
In Western Europe, France and Germany issued statements disapproving of the ban.
“When ( Trump) refuses the arrival of refugees, while Europe has done its duty, we have to respond,” French President François Hollande said, referring to the migrants Europe has been forced to accept from war- torn and impoverished countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
“The United States is a country where Christian traditions have an important meaning. Loving your neighbor is a major Christian value, and that includes helping people,” said Sigmar Gabriel, Germany’s foreign minister. “I think that is what unites us in the West.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke to Trump on Saturday, but they did not discuss the refugee ban, according to a White House readout of the phone call.
Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said Sunday the chancellor “is convinced that even the necessarily resolute fight against terrorism does not justify placing people of a certain background or a certain faith under general suspicion.” Merkel allowed Germany to accept nearly 1 million asylum seekers in 2015, which has produced a backlash.
British Prime Minister Theresa May, who met Friday with Trump at the White House, said, “We do not agree with this kind of approach and it is not one we will be taking.”
“President Trump’s executive order against refugees and Muslims should shock and appall us all,” said Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain’s opposition Labour Party. He called for Trump’s state visit to Britain to be put on hold.
May said Trump had accepted an invitation from Queen Elizabeth II to meet this year. A petition against the visit hit 100,000 Sunday, a mark that could trigger a formal debate in Parliament.
Geert Wilders, the anti- immigration front- runner for prime minister in the Netherland’s March elections, cheered Trump’s executive order.
“Well done @ POTUS it’s the only way to stay safe + free. I would do the same. Hope you’ll add more Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia soon,” Wilders said in a tweet. “No more immigration from any Islamic country is exactly what we need.”
Iran said it would retaliate against its inclusion on the list of banned Muslim countries. “While respecting Americans & differentiating between them & hostile U. S. policies, Iran will take reciprocal measures to protect citizens,” Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said in a tweet Sunday.