The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Donald Trump

  • Trump ‘considering’ new travel ban

    United States President, Donald Trump, is considering a new executive order to ban citizens of certain countries from travelling to the U.S after his initial attempt was overturned in the courts.

    Mr. Trump told reporters on Air Force One that a “brand new order” could be issued as early as Monday or Tuesday.

    It comes after an appeals court in San Francisco upheld a court ruling to suspend his original order, the BBC reports.

    It barred entry from citizens from seven mainly Muslim countries.

    It is unclear what a new U.S immigration order might look like.

    Mr. Trump said it would change “very little,” but he did not provide details of any new ban under consideration.

    Despite his suggestion on Friday, Mr. Trump’s administration may still pursue its case in the courts over the original order, which was halted a week ago by a Seattle judge.

    “We’ll win that battle,” Mr. Trump told reporters, adding: “The unfortunate part is it takes time. We’ll win that battle. But we also have a lot of other options, including just filing a brand new order.”

    An unnamed judge from the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, which on Thursday upheld the stay on the original order, has called on all 25 judges of that court to vote on whether to hear the appeal again.

    Technically known as an en banc review, a second hearing of the case would involve an 11-judge panel, rather than the three who initially heard the appeal

  • Trump loses bid to reinstate travel ban

    A United States federal appeals court has rejected President Donald Trump’s attempt to reinstate his ban on citizens from seven mainly Muslim countries.

    The 9th U.S Circuit Court of Appeals said it would not block a ruling by a Seattle court that halted the order.

    Mr. Trump responded with an angry tweet, saying national security was at risk and there would be a legal challenge.

    The BBC says it was unclear whether the President intended to file an appeal to the Supreme Court or keep fighting the case in Seattle.

    In its 3-0 unanimous ruling on Thursday, the appeals court said the government had not proved the terror threat justified reviving the ban.

    The ruling means that people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen with visas can continue to enter the U.S, and refugees from around the world, who were also subject to a temporary ban, are no longer blocked either.

    However, the ruling does not affect one part of Mr. Trump’s controversial executive order: a cap of 50,000 refugees to be admitted in the current fiscal year, down from the ceiling of 110,000 established under his predecessor, Barack Obama.

     

  • Thousands protest Trump’s refugee temporary ban

    Thousands protest Trump’s refugee temporary ban

    Thousands of protesters on Saturday demonstrated outside the U.S. Embassy in London against American President Donald Trump over his temporary ban on refugees and nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering U.S.

    The protesters held black banners with blood stains bearing slogans including: “No to Trump. No to War’’; “Trump: Special Relationship? Just Say No’’  against the ban and Trump’s foreign policy.

    Trump had a week ago signed an order putting a four-month hold on entrance of refugees into the U.S. and temporarily barred travellers from Syria and six other Muslim-majority countries.

    However, on Friday, a Seattle federal judge on Friday put a nationwide block on U.S. President Donald Trump’s week-old executive order that had temporarily barred refugees and nationals from seven countries from entering U.S.

    The judge’s temporary restraining order represents a major setback for Trump’s action.

    The White House said late Friday that it believed the ban to be “lawful and appropriate” and that the U.S. Department of Justice would file an emergency appeal.

    Early Saturday morning, Trump criticised the ruling, warning of big trouble if a country could not control its borders.

    However, many in Britons were angry about the measure, which they saw as discriminatory, and the time it took for Prime Minister Theresa May’s Government to criticise it. (Reuters/NAN)

  • Nothing has changed in US visa policy for Nigerians-Ambassador

    Nothing has changed in US visa policy for Nigerians-Ambassador

    The United States (U.S) government has allayed the fears of many Nigerians over the Executive Immigration Order.

    According to the U.S Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stuart Symington, no Nigerian will be discriminated against on the basis of the order.

    Trump had signed an executive order barring citizens from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and Sudan from entering the country for 90 days and also suspended the admission of all refugees for 120 days.

    Symington stressed that the Nigeria-U.S relationship  is a strategic one that must be sustained; adding that the connection between our two countries has been strong today and will continue to be strong tomorrow.

    He however stressed that in granting of visas, the full process must be followed and not religion.
    The envoy therefore emphasized that should there be any rejection, it should not be construed to mean discrimination, as every single conversation will be part of the process.

    Symington who briefed newsmen on the Executive Order on ‘Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorists Entry into the United States’ said  relating to Nigeria, nothing has changed.

    He also said that contrary to the report making the rounds, U.S has not reduced the visa time frame for Nigeria, saying that the two years multiple entry visa policy is still in place.
    Besides, he said those with valid visas have nothing to fear, as the validity of the visa will remain until the expiry date.

    Also, for a Nigerian with dual nationality affiliation with the seven affected Muslim countries, the ambassador said  he or she would not be banned from entering U.S.

    “Security is not the job of only one country. Let me reassure Nigerians that every single action the US takes would be on the basis of legality and due process no one will be discriminated against. No Nigerian would be denied visas because he or she is from a particular region of the country.

    “The new order now is for the US government to cross check as many that are coming into the US before issuing visas; we will not discriminate on the basis of religion in issuing visas to Nigerians. The two years visa is still valid contrary to reports we have heard in the media.

    “Nigeria’s leadership role is crucial in the world and Nigeria cannot be blacklisted. The importance of Nigeria in the world is legal.”

    Meghan Moore, Head of Consular U.S Embassy, Abuja explained that, “the  idea of how the US government decide the duration of Visa issuance is based on Nigeria government treatment to US travelers to Nigeria.  The US government generally issues multiple entry non-immigrant visas  with a validity of two years to eligible individuals who are travelling with the Nigeria passport. We issue as a general rule a two year visa and that has not changed. There  can be some exception based on some specific individuals.”

    What has changed, according to her is the period for visa renewal.

    “It used to be 45 month for visas renewal before now, but as a result of the new order, it’s now 12 month to renew visas. If not, registration and visa interview has to be carried out,” she explained.
    “Nigerians can use the DHL renewal process if their visas expire within 12 month.  If not, they have to schedule another interview with the embassy,” Moore said.

  • Iran: American wrestlers refused visas for World Cup

    Iran: American wrestlers refused visas for World Cup

    Iran has banned American wrestlers from competing in a World Cup competition by denying them visas in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order from last week on immigration, the IRNA news agency reported on Friday.

    The report quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghasemi as saying the case was looked into by a special committee but that “unfortunately we were forced to take this step, based on the latest developments’’.

    Under Trump’s executive order citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries, including Iran, are banned from entering the U.S.

    Iran said it would retaliate and the American wrestlers were now banned although several Iran media had called for their planned presence at the freestyle World Cup meet Feb. 16 and 17 in the western Iranian city of Kermanshah.

    Wrestling is very popular in both countries. American wrestlers have regularly competed in Iran, and Iranian wrestlers in the U.S., over the past two decades.

  • Uber CEO pulls out of Trump’s business council

    Uber CEO pulls out of Trump’s business council

    The chief executive of Uber, Mr Travis Kalanick, on Friday backed out of a business advisory council set up by Donald Trump, a week after the new U.S. president issued an immigration order that raised concerns for the ride-hailing company and its employees.

    Kalanick spoke briefly with Trump about the order “and its issues for our community,” and told the president he “would not be able to participate” in the council, he said in an email sent to employees and seen by newsmen.

    “Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that,’’ Kalanick wrote.

    The immigration order temporarily suspended the U.S. refugee programme and banned travellers from seven Muslim-majority nations.

    Mr Travis Kalanick
    Mr Travis Kalanick

    Kalanick was one of 16 company executives chosen to participate on the council.

    The group was scheduled to have its first meeting on Friday.

    The report says there have been protests worldwide against Trump’s executive order.

    Many U.S. multinationals, technology companies, in particular, were also outraged by it, pointing, among other things, to the importance of immigration and certain visas in contributing to their success.

    “Immigration and openness to refugees is an important part of our country’s success and quite honestly to Uber’s.

    “There are many ways we will continue to advocate for just change on immigration but staying on the council was going to get in the way of that,’’ he said.

  • TV host condemns Trump’s immigration ban

    TV host condemns Trump’s immigration ban

    U.S. talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres, took a subtle `dig` at U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration ban, by explaining the plot of her hit animated movie “Finding Dory.”

    DeGeneres noted that “Finding Dory” was screened at the White House the day after Trump signed an executive order banning refugees and travellers from seven majority-Muslim nations from entering the United States.

    Speaking to the audience of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” in a segment aired on Tuesday, she mentioned the protests sparked by Trump’s order.

    She said she did not want to get political so she talked instead about the plot of the 2016 film, which has taken in $1 billion at the global box office.

    In the movie, Dory and her friends arrive in America, where they find themselves stuck behind a large wall keeping Dory from finding her parents.

    “They all have to get over the wall and you won’t believe it, but that wall has almost no effect in keeping them out,” DeGeneres said.

    Trump has also pledged to build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico to keep out undocumented immigrants.

    Trump
    President Donald Trump

     

    Dory crosses the border but is still separated from her family. Luckily for her, DeGeneres said, other animals are willing to help Dory and bring her into their world.

    “Animals that don’t even need her. Animals that don’t have anything in common with her,” DeGeneres said. “They help her, even though they’re completely different colours.

    “Because that’s what you do when you see someone in need, you help them.”

    “So that is what I hope everyone watching ‘Finding Dory’ has learned,” she added.

    The remarks by DeGeneres were the latest in a series of direct and indirect attacks by celebrities on the president’s immigration ban, which has caused chaos and protests at airports around the world.

    Actors at the Screen Actors Guild awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday also took aim at the ban in fiery speeches that ranged from personal experiences as immigrants or Muslims to calls for solidarity.

  • Trump nominates conservative Gorsuch as Supreme Court judge

    United States President, Donald Trump, has nominated Colorado federal appeals court judge, Neil Gorsuch, for the country’s Supreme Court.

    If confirmed by the Senate, the 49-year-old would restore the court’s conservative majority, lost with the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, the BBC reports.

    The Senate Democratic leader has said he has “very serious doubts” about Judge Gorsuch’s nomination.

    The court has the final legal word on many of the most sensitive U.S issues, from abortion to gender to gun control.

    Mr. Trump said Judge Gorsuch had a “superb intellect, an unparalleled legal education, and a commitment to interpreting the Constitution according to text.”

    “Judge Gorsuch has outstanding legal skills, a brilliant mind, tremendous discipline, and has earned bipartisan support,” Mr. Trump said.

    He was picked from a shortlist of 21 choices, which Mr. Trump made public during the election campaign.

  • Trump sacks attorney general for questioning immigration ban

    United States President, Donald Trump, has fired the country acting attorney general, after she questioned the legality of his immigration ban.

    Sally Yates, who had been appointed under Barack Obama, earlier ordered justice department lawyers not to enforce the President’s executive order.

    The BBC reports that Dana Boente, U.S attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, replaced her as acting attorney general.

    He has directed the department to enforce Mr. Trump’s order.

    In a statement, the White House said Ms Yates had “betrayed” the department.

    Mr. Trump’s order temporarily banned nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S, and sparked street protests in the U.S and abroad.

  • U.S. deploys ‘Iron Soldiers’ to Europe, warns Russia

    U.S. deploys ‘Iron Soldiers’ to Europe, warns Russia

    The U.S. says its Army’s 3rd Armoured Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, is ready for any mission to protect the territorial integrity of its allies in Europe, warning Russia over its invasion in Ukraine.

    U.S. European Command’s Deputy Commander, Air Force Lt. Gen. Timothy Ray, gave the warnings on Monday at the unit’s consolidation and validation event at U.S. European Command, according to a statement obtained by the Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from the U.S. Department of Defence.

    He said: “these ‘Iron Soldiers’ send a clear signal of our commitment as they round out our joint team’s capability in a very significant way.

    “The events in 2014, and the trans-Atlantic declarations from the Wales and Warsaw Summits, demonstrate the indivisibility and unity of the alliance in light of Russia’s invasion in Ukraine.

    “These events forged a commitment, and a plan, to build our defence and deterrence posture in Europe.

    “Know that our commitment to defence is rock-solid. We must maintain the territorial integrity of our alliance and maintain a Europe that is whole, free, prosperous and at peace,” Ray said.

    He said the unit’s deployment to Europe was part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, designed to reassure NATO allies and partners in the region after Russia invaded Ukraine.

    Ray said the arrival of the combat team was just one aspect of America’s commitment to the region through “increased presence”.

    He added that “the thousands of Iron Soldiers here are a key part of our joint land, naval, air, space and cyberspace team.

    “Be assured, the full weight of the U.S. military stands behind these sentinels of freedom,” the general said.

    Deployed from Fort Carson, Colorado, the 3,500 soldiers and 2,000 vehicles of the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team join a recently increased land, sea and air presence in the region, the Department said.

    It added that the arrival of the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team begins a series of back-to-back rotations of U.S. troops and equipment to the region.

    “The soldiers and vehicles will mass in Poland and then disperse via convoy across seven locations in Eastern Europe for training and exercises with European allies.

    “These forces represent one element of America’s commitment to European security, and it is ready to defend that security if called upon,” it said.

    The U.S. forces, officials added, would train with U.S. allies and partners, ultimately leading to greater interoperability.

    “We are invested from infrastructure upgrades across the continent, to airfields and ranges; we’re also prepositioning supplies and equipment and exercising with our allies and partners.

    “We will also increase the scope and complexity of many exercises in our portfolio focusing on joint interoperability, missile defence and crisis-response operations,” Ray said.