US President Donald Trump’s executive order barring all refugees and citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States for 90 days took effect on Friday leading to detentions and entry-denials at airports in the country and around the world.
“We don’t want them here,” said Trump, referring to the immigrants. “We want to ensure that we are not admitting into our country the very threats our soldiers are fighting overseas.” The countries affected by what is being called a “Muslim Ban” are Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Somalia and Libya, all Muslim-majority countries.
The new rules blindsided people in transit and families waiting for them and caused havoc for businesses with employees holding passports from the targeted nations and colleges with international students. Passengers were detained, kept in custody and allegedly tortured at the airport.
However, all this while America once again showed how it values justice and equality, proving that Trump doesn’t need to ‘Make America Great Again’; the nation is already great.
Immediately after the order, thousands of Americans flooded the streets and airports to protest against the order.
Here are eight things which happened after Trump’s immigration ban that will restore your faith in humanity:
1. US veterans back comrades
After hearing about the detention of Iraqi interpreter Hameed Khalid Darweesh at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, US veterans stepped in to offer help and support. Darweesh, who holds a special immigrant visa granted for over a decade of faithful service as a military translator in Iraq, was one of the 12 people detained at the airport. He had boarded the flight with his family, after repeated threats. He was set free after the American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit on his behalf.
2. Airbnb offers free housing
In the midst of chaos caused by President Donald Trump’s executive order, which stranded refugees, students and green card holders in American airports, Airbnb, an online marketplace and homestay network enabling people to list or rent short-term lodging in residential properties is offering housing facilities to those affected.
3. New York taxis workers alliance joins the protest
The Alliance announced halted pickups at JFK from 6 pm to 7 pm on Sunday to protest reports of at least a dozen people who have been detained in the airport due to the immigration ban executive order signed by President Trump yesterday.
The Facebook page of the alliance said, “Our 19,000-member-strong union stands firmly opposed to Donald Trump’s Muslim ban. As an organisation whose membership is largely Muslim, a workforce that’s almost universally immigrant, and a working-class movement that is rooted in the defence of the oppressed, we say no to this inhumane and unconstitutional ban.”
READ MORE: 18 companies, celebrities who are against Trump’s Muslim travel ban
4. Tech industry expresses solidarity
As the controversy unfolded, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, Google, Microsoft, Netflix and others issued a raft of mostly internal statements (shared to social media) expressing concern for their employees, affirmations of American values, and travel advice. In a staff email, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said that the ban will create “barriers” in bringing talent to the US.
5. Starbucks says it will hire 10,000 refugees
Starbucks announced that it will hire 10,000 refugees in the next five years, a direct response to Trump’s ban. Howard Schultz, the coffee retailer’s chairman and CEO, said in a letter to employees Sunday that the hiring would apply to stores worldwide and the effort would start in the United States where the focus would be on hiring immigrants “who have served with US troops as interpreters and support personnel.”
READ MORE: Starbucks to hire 10,000 refugees worldwide after Trump ban
6. Crowd forms protective ring around praying Muslims
A crowd of people gathered around Muslims offering namaz at the airport, shielding them from harassment or heckling.
Clergy members of different stripes strongly denounced Trump’s order, calling it discriminatory. In a demonstration of solidarity, four churches and a synagogue offered the use of their own houses of worship for the displaced members of a mosque that was gutted by fire in Victoria, Texas, hours after Trump’s Muslim ban order.
8. Celebrities, politicians voice protests on social media
Messages of support and solidarity flew in thick and fast from different quarters. Former US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, went to the extent of saying she would register as a Muslim in solidarity.
Celebrities such as Miley Cyrus, Rihanna and Kim Kardashian West also tweeted in support.
Courtesy: Hindustan Times
