[Tom Otley]

By Forum User MarcusGB

Several Iraq dual passport holders with Visa entry rights to The USA have been detained at JFK today, owing to the Presidential Executive order, restricting Immigration from 7 countries into the USA.
Two out of 12 have been released after Lawyers battled with Immigration officials, who detained them, with significant implications for these individuals. they were interpreters for the US in Iraq, and sought protection from the US, granted residency (as far as i understand from CNN reports on TV).
Lawyers are challenging the Executive Order as unlawful, unconstitutional, but immediately it is having implications for travellers. They argue valid Visa holders will be denied entry.
Google has recalled its staff who travel back to the US, but subsequent advice is they should sit tight, as the Order has a ban of 90 days with immediate effect.
Vulnerable people may be refused entry, with their lives being at risk for immigrants and refugees, with immediate suspension of refugee admission programs.
Iran has already reciprocated by stating it will also Ban US citizens from entering the country, and it could follow other countries make the same and reflect the order. This could result in many USA Business or dual passport holders, (Business of personal travel, being refused entry, and returned. This includes Green card holders who are outside of the US, being refused re-entry now! Families or those who have exited for medical treatment also, who have valid Visas for residency, or to work or visit. Exiting the US will prove impossible if they left, being unable to return.

This could have serious repercussions for Business travel, security Companies, and even Airlines if flights are restricted or banned eg a USA Airline flying into Iran.

I am sure many views will be evident from the BT staff and forum, and also trips will have to be immediately reviewed or altered for some. I am in The Middle East just now, and this is not going down well by local media views and reporting. it could well be taken as religiously discriminating and reciprocal bans for the US citizens travelling to, or through, or even on the Airlines of other states, is being questioned.

This is a breaking story, fast moving, but just opening what the implications have been and how received as it comes through now, so forgive if these initial news changes.

Your thoughts or how it may affect you, family, or Business travel?

[Tom Otley]

Update here

Trump executive order: US judge temporarily halts deportations
In addition there was disruption when NYC cab drivers staged a strike last night at JFK (only one hour).

Protests erupt at airports after Trump's executive order limiting Muslim entry into U.S. https://t.co/OlFEI2mGOh pic.twitter.com/cFl9dVyCql

— Huffington Post (@HuffingtonPost) January 29, 2017

[FDOS_UK]

I don’t think it is easy to predict what will develop here, with a strong willed president and a balancing judiciary.

The president seems to be approaching things as a CEO might, not sure that government will work like that.

[MarcusGB]

(Thanks Tom for your assistance!)

I have discussed with a friend who is a Professor of Politics and European history, many aspects of Trump’s Presidency. I thought also some weeks ago, he would “Run the country” as a Business and like a CEO. It would be interesting as their is a Worldwide anti Political establishment, and the status quo being reflected, but with more right wing influence. So will it work?
He feels there would be dire consequences, and the EU is not going to exist in a few years time, certainly changed beyond recognition.

But these immediate travel issues are troubling, some being in the Air as it was signed, then detained on arrival, others about to board, and refused at the departure point.

Reciprocal actions by other countries, and not just the listed 7, and Airlines, could ensue. There will already be Business travellers now stranded overseas, and told to remain there, and i know of several in Muscat here. Like in several countries with the “Arab Spring”, tourists could be treated differently, or anyone appearing to be of a US origin by sight or sound.
A friend was spat at and mumbled at from many people, in Egypt at the time of the uprising there, and came back as he felt so much anger towards him from ordinary people.

We shall see now what Trump does next, but this is a boiling up of tensions in travel for the time ahead!

[DavidGordon10]

This Executive Order is much more than just alarming in its implications, it has nasty built-in features of religious and ethnic intolerance – illegal and immoral.

It is a tragedy for families and individuals caught up in the chaos.

One factor that will be interesting to observe, as it evolves, will be the attitude of the State Department, and of individual staff of the Department of Homeland Security. I have personally been impressed by the tolerance and common sense of many border officers in the USA, better than it was only a few years ago. The passport that bears my USA visa also has an Iran visa and a Pakistan visa, and this has been no problem at all – but will it become one?

[FDOS_UK]

[quote quote=788284]This Executive Order is much more than just alarming in its implications, it has nasty built-in features of religious and ethnic intolerance – illegal and immoral.

It is a tragedy for families and individuals caught up in the chaos.

One factor that will be interesting to observe, as it evolves, will be the attitude of the State Department, and of individual staff of the Department of Homeland Security. I have personally been impressed by the tolerance and common sense of many border officers in the USA, better than it was only a few years ago. The passport that bears my USA visa also has an Iran visa and a Pakistan visa, and this has been no problem at all – but will it become one?

[/quote]

I suspect it will be difficult for you to get a meaningful answer, for a while.

One tactic for driving change is to make a ‘big bang’ and then see where the pieces fall. I’m not suggesting that this is an approach I particularly like, but it seems to have been used here and now there is a lot of fallout, with some judges now getting involved and I think there will be ambiguity for quite a while, until order emerges from the chaos.

[AMcWhirter]

Emirates has had to change its pilot, crew rostering on its US-bound flights, reports Reuters.

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN15D0JM?il=0

[MarcusGB]

Sir Mo Farah is stuck in Ethiopia at his training venue it appears,with his family & home in the States.

Alex, i had not thought of this, that actually crews on Airlines will have to be changed, representing multi cultures and languages in the travel industry. So poorly thought through, legally negligent and absent of any proper advice it seems.
If trump goes on to make several of these major errors, they will be trying to impeach him, or his safety will be in danger owing to the conflict, and high degree of bitterness from many Countries. It will also have an impact of Americans overseas and how they are perceived, not untypical for some countries.

Who will turn round and tell him, “We must do something , this is not and will not work in this form…”

[AMcWhirter]

Indeed, Marcus. And it would also affect the crewing arrangements at Etihad and Qatar Airways.

[MartynSinclair]

This is going to affect most airlines, including all US airlines. These extreme measures are, according to Sky News, affecting “legal US citizens who were born in these countries,”. This presumably includes US passport holders…

http://news.sky.com/story/donald-trump-travel-ban-will-prevent-horrible-mess-10747178

[Tom Otley]

Emirates is changing crew rosters
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-immigration-emirates-idUSKBN15D0JM

[MartynSinclair]

Be interesting Tom if you could get a comment from BA / VS whether they are being affected by this….

[MartynSinclair]

Some more clarity (from Sky News). The severity appears to have changed….

In a statement, the Foreign Office said:

:: The ban only applies to individuals travelling from one of the seven countries – Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen

:: Travellers to the US from anywhere other than one of those countries will experience no extra checks regardless of nationality or place of birth

:: UK nationals travelling from one of the seven countries are not included in the ban, even if they were born in one of the countries

:: Dual citizens from one of the seven countries travelling to the US from outside those countries are not affected

:: Dual nationals might experience extra checks if they travel directly from one of the seven nations

[Mark Caswell]

Virgin Atlantic has sent us the following statement:

“We always endeavour to do the right thing by our customers and we will look into all options for those affected, including rebooking travel for a later date, alternative destinations for customers no longer wishing to travel to the U.S., or a full refunds.

“Full details are available for our customers at:

https://www.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/travel-information/travel-news.html

“We will continue to monitor the executive orders issued by the United States and we will adapt our policy should there be a need to do so.”

[Mark Caswell]

But of course you can’t access that page at the moment, as the carrier’s website is down:

Virgin Atlantic website disruption

[Author]

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