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Updated at 22.55
WHITE HOUSE PRESS Secretary Sean Spicer has said that an executive order signed by President Donald Trump effectively banning travellers from seven nations from entering the US was “not a travel ban”.
Speaking to reporters today, Spicer said that the travel restrictions were to “keep America safe”.
“Well, first of all, it’s not a travel ban,” he said. ”This is not a Muslim ban. It’s not a travel ban.
“It’s a vetting system to keep America safe. That’s it. Plain and simple.”
This appears to be a contradiction of Trump, who yesterday tweeted:
Spicer also called it a ban himself yesterday at George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs, saying “the ban deals with seven countries that the Obama administration had previously identified as needing further travel restrictions.”
The travel ban has caused shockwaves through the United States, with mass protests being held across the country. It has also brought sharp international criticism.
Earlier, UN secretary general Antonio Guterres said such “blind measures” are unlikely to be effective in fighting terrorism.
Guterres said countries seeking to strengthen control of their borders cannot do so “based on any form of discrimination related to religion, ethnicity or nationality.”
Such discrimination “triggers widespread anxiety and anger that may facilitate the propaganda of the very terrorist organisations we all want to fight against,” Guterres said in his first statement on the controversy.
The order
Trump signed an executive order suspending the arrival of all refugees for a minimum of 120 days, Syrian refugees indefinitely, and barring citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days.
It has been estimated by the Washington Post that over 90,000 visa holders have been affected by the blanket ban.
This number was derived from latest State Department figures which indicated the number of visas issued to residents of the banned countries.
The decision triggered protests and chaos at airports while UN human rights chief Zeid bin Ra’ad Zeid al-Hussein declared it illegal and “mean-spirited”.
Banned
“Blind measures, not based on solid intelligence, tend to be ineffective as they risk being bypassed by what are today sophisticated global terrorist movements,” said Guterres.
Also, the US Embassy in Dublin clarified that the executive order does not restrict the travel of dual-nationals, so long as they hold the passport of an unrestricted country and possess a valid US visa.
Also, the embassies and consulates worldwide will process visa applications and issue non-immigrant and immigrant visas to otherwise eligible applicants who apply with a passport from an unrestricted country, even if they hold dual-nationality from one of the seven banned nations.
Guterres earlier said through his spokesman that he hoped the US measure was temporary, but did not condemn it, nor did he urge Trump to reverse course.
In the statement released today, Guterres did not explicitly mention the US ban, but there was no doubt his statement was a response to the controversial measure.
He said he was concerned by decisions around the world that are undermining international refugee protection.
“This is against the fundamental principles and values on which our societies are based,” said the UN chief.
Yesterday, Human Rights Watch had called on Guterres to clearly denounce the ban.
“At a time when governments, civil society and business leaders are increasingly speaking out, it’s important that the UN’s message not come solely from the UN human rights chief,” said HRW deputy director for global advocacy Philippe Bolopion.
“Secretary-General Guterres should take a clear stand that Trump’s executive order is a blow to refugees, reflects bigotry and will do little to address terrorism.”
© – AFP 2017 with AP
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Irish radio had a left wing nut from the US on this morning discussing how Trump might nuke a country he does not like. She claimed he would be by himself at certain times and could launch before anybody notices….I mean come on? It would be funny if they weren’t so serious. Are people this stupid?
@John Reese: Are people that stupid? Yep .. Sure millions voted for a Billionaire they think will look out for the little man…stupid
A bully that ruined businesses on many Joe Soaps and they think he will help them? It’ll be worse than ever.
I dont which is better. The fact that Trump won against all odds, or that liberals now have to fulfill their promise to move to Canada
They’re the same fools who say they’ll take in immigrants/refugees but would run if they had to. Clowns are all talk so best to just ignore them!
I disagree, Paul. Now is the best time to confront and mock the far left. They are like a wounded animal, lashing out in anticipation of their imminent demise. They would love for us to ignore them. Well they may get used to it. The tables have turned for the foreseeable future.
@Reagan Smash: So, You think Trump is better , better than what ? You think you’ve won because the Liberals are defeated ? Yes , I agree things needed to change ,unfettered immigration is a mistake , Sweden tells us that . I agree that the elites do need a “realignment” but at what price ? It seems your hatred for the “liberal agenda” permits you to follow ( billionaire , elite , egomaniac) who got elected by lying to white middle-aged men about bringing back industries that will never return to the US . Heavy industry is not going back , ever . Some tech companies will go back if he reduces the Corp tax but they won’t be going to Flint Michigan or Ohio .So have your anti-liberal hero ,he who is openly backed by the KKK, a man that moves on women like a bitch even though he thinks the Latins are the rapists , a moan who mimic people with disabilities ,a man who admires Putin (now the world’s second most dangerous man ), a man who will expose the world to an expansionist Russia by dismantling Nato. A man that will drive Islamic moderates to extremism . A man who with real intellectual limitations , a man who runs beauty pageants and fancies his own daughter. Well, have at it , good luck with your new leader . Hopefully , you will get to move to the US and fill the void left by the fleeing celebrities
And still tensing he was more appealing to Americans than Hillary Clinton, what does that make her?
Amen – well said
He essentially has 12 months to get stuff done, if not midterm elections will see a shift in the Senate
The end of the Clinton dynasty and watching her self entitled supporters cry through the election night was something I’ll always cherish and hold close to my heart. They were so, so sure they had it in the bag, and along come those nasty working class voters to have their say too. That was a wake up call if ver I saw one. You don’t own the presidency, now ain’t that something.
@Mr Snuffleupagus:
When George W won the presidency, I found it to be one of the most depressing political chapters of all. I couldn’t watch or listen to him throughout his presidency and if and when he came on the radio or TV I’d have to immediately reach for the dial and turn him off. The exact same thing would have happened for me if Clinton had won. What a horrid yoke she is.
At least with Trump there might be some entertainment value. I’ll wait a few weeks before the hyperbole calms down.
The media. A bunch of stupid losers trying to console themselves with name calling.
Suck it up liberal lefties everywhere! Trump won !!
Please john. Trump won you need to understand that is now happening in the US and tat the changes will be on the card tables.
Bet Newsweek are feeling fools now for their business decision on having their President Clinton shipped, ready to sell.
A national recall went out Wednesday for the special “Madame President” issue of Newsweek that was prematurely shipped to stores and newsstands across the country.
Now have to do trump.
For the way he was treated by mainstream media you have to give it to Trump for his tenacity, and sheer doggedness, for his refusing to be bullied, he is like a persistent terrier at the heels of the establishment, refusing to let go, he has upset the status quo and that can only be a good thing, what a year 2016 turned out to be full of surprises, as Burke so eloquently put it last night now it’s our turn to drain the bog!!
@Kate Flaherty: In Ireland, it`s more like draining the cesspool .
Isn’t it an eyeopener to see just how much the lefty liberal crowd only like “democracy” when it puts them on the winning side. This is the same bunch that want you to “shut-up” and for you not to be able criticize their demand for things like open borders, mass migration, abortion on demand etc. This bunch is full of bigots, fascist, feminazis and misandrists! The whining and the negativity from the majority of the media in relation to DT becoming the next US President is astounding! Our 4th estate is and has been letting us down for years as it has been taken over by lefty liberal agenda leaning moguls! They really need to get over themselves and for the benefit of the young in this country start being more positive about what life is and for what the future holds.
For the past day I heard from Twitter, Facebook, Newspapers, TV shows and more that Trump is , “Racist”, “sexist” “next Hitler” for the Thousand time . Talk about an Overreaction.
Trumps election is the equivalent of Kerry people voting for the Healey Raes, ie we’ll show those fcukkers in Dublin/Washington
Is it just me, or does his eldest son look also like the character in americian psycho?
The press is bias but that bull sells?
Well when 75% of the American electorate didn’t vote for him it seems they know exactly who their market is
@Dave O Keeffe: They were and are bias towards Clinton for her to win, he is an arrogant big mouth git but he is the lesser of 2 evils. The things reported about Hillary and what she did to protect Bill over the years showed to me that she was in my view a sociopath. The press were for Hillary and many supported her because she was a woman and that was where they left it. They never really investigated the dark side of her and the fact is that side would turn you to stone. 9 out of the 10 top weapon manufacturers supported her as did the Saudis… The killing of the rape victims pets did me and leaving them on their doorsteps only proved to me that normal women don’t do that to rape victims, or do they?
Anyway, Trump wouldn’t have won if Hillary didn’t do what she did to Sanders, the desire for power can be self destructive?
@Dave O Keeffe: How did he win then, to condemn him is to condemn those who voted for him and he got the votes because he was not Hillary, is that talked about???
This presentation of media bias has mostly tame examples. I think it strawmans the perspective that the media paints Trump and his supporters as morally bankrupt bigots. There’s no essential retrospective on what the media did during the campaign.
As if to say “ah yeah… there was some bias, but it mostly wasn’t anything phenomenal. Just typical stuff. Maybe some fringe media were very biased against Trump, that’s all.”
have your say