By Alicia Draus

Medicine Hat residents react to travel ban implemented by Trump

Jan 30, 2017 | 4:47 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — A recent travel ban implemented by President Donald Trump has sparked anger across the world, including here in Medicine Hat.

Fahad Abdullah is a Canadian citizen. He’s been here for seven years but he was born in Iraq and still holds a passport to his birth country. He said he was shocked and disappointed on Friday when US President Donald Trump signed an executive order preventing citizens of seven countries, including Iraq, from entering the States.

“It came up so quick, because he was just appointed a week ago to the office,” he said.

Iran, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen are the six other countries, all of which are predominately Muslim countries.

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Trump has said the ban isn’t about keeping out Muslims, it’s about keeping out “radical Islamic terrorists.”

Dr. Emad Salih is a local imam (leader of the Islamic community) and says a travel ban like this is unfair to the majority of Muslims.

“The idea of singling out people and discriminating against them like this, stereotyping them with an image that is only going to create problems for them in all different ways, and affect their families, affect their livelihoods, affect their image and impressions all over the world, it’s not right, it’s not just, it’s not fair,” said Salih.

Originally it was thought Canadian dual citizens would be included in the ban, but it has since been clarified Canadians will be allowed to enter the States. Even though Abdullah is now not personally affected, he says the ban is wrong, adding many immigrants who flee war torn countries don’t have a lot of options.

“We can’t go back back home, we can’t go back to our country, ’cause there’s nothing to go back to,” he said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to twitter to say that refugees are still welcome in Canada. His tweet read “To those fleeing persecution, terror, and war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada.”

Abdullah said reading that tweet made him proud to be Canadian.

“I wake up everyday without worrying about having to die, and that’s something I am very grateful for,” he said.
“My whole family is very proud and happy to be Canadian.”

Currently the ban to the United States is temporary, although Syrian refugees are banned indefinitely. Salih says even though Canadians are not directly impacted, it’s important to pay attention to what is happening.

Salih said he worries a ban like this could lead to further discrimination and violence against the Muslim population.

“People who are in support of justice and fairness should always speak out, especially if you are in a position of authority people should speak out against these practices so that people don’t consider them as normal,” he said.

As for Abdullah, he says people need to understand that refugees and immigrants are not a threat.

“Talk to people who come from these countries, see where they come from, put yourself in their shoes before you say anything hurtful or bad,” he said, adding that refugees have already gone through so much.