Trump’s refugee ban stirs European unease, condemnation

The newly inaugurated United States President, Donald Trump, signed an executive order Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States on the 27 January 2017 protecting the United States from foreign nationals entering from countries compromised by terrorism, and ensuring a more rigorous vetting process.

In practice this meant a ban on people from seven - Muslim dominated countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The executive order also suspended the entry of all refugees to the US for 120 days.

A number of European leaders expressed criticism of these measures including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President François Hollande and United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May.

The European Parliament's plenary session held a debate on 1 February on the signing of the executive order. Most MEPs described the travel restrictions as arbitrary and defying the core values of western democracies, such as freedom, non-discrimination and solidarity.

Below there are a range of information sources commenting upon reactions in Europe.

• Primary Source

The Guardian, 28.01.17: Hollande: Trump administration is 'encouraging extremism' https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/28/hollande-eu-stand-together-against-trump-lisbon-meeting

The Guardian, 29.01.17: Protests spread over Trump travel ban on Muslim majority countries https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2017/jan/29/donald-trump-us-travel-ban-refugees-airports

US: The White House: Office of the Press Secretary, 27.01.17: Executive Order: Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/01/27/executive-order-protecting-nation-foreign-terrorist-entry-united-states

Deutsche Welle, 29.01.17: Germany's Schulz slams far-right, Trump http://dw.com/p/2WayS

EurActiv, 29.01.17: Martin Schulz bashes Trump in campaign to unseat Merkel as German chancellor http://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/schulz-bashes-trump-in-campaign-to-unseat-merkel-as-germanys-chancellor/

France24, 29.01.17: Growing global backlash against Trump’s immigration ban http://www.france24.com/en/20170129-global-backlash-trump-immigration-refugees-travel-ban

Politico, 29.01.17: President Trump’s first defeat http://www.politico.eu/article/president-trumps-first-defeat-muslim-migration-ban-executive-order-protest/

France24, 28.01.17: France and Germany united in criticism of Trump's immigration ban http://www.france24.com/en/20170128-france-germany-ayrault-gabriel-donald-trump-moves-limit-refugees

Dutch News.nl, 29.01.17: Dutch prime minister regrets and rejects Trump’s Muslim country entry ban http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2017/01/dutch-prime-minister-regrets-and-rejects-trumps-muslim-country-entry-ban/

EurActiv, 30.01.17: Global backlash grows against Trump’s immigration order http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/global-backlash-grows-against-trumps-immigration-order/

The Conversation, 27.01.17: Q&A: what legal obligation does the US have to accept refugees? https://theconversation.com/qanda-what-legal-obligation-does-the-us-have-to-accept-refugees-72007

The Conversation, 29.01.17: Trump’s order barring refugees flies in the face of logic and humanity https://theconversation.com/trumps-order-barring-refugees-flies-in-the-face-of-logic-and-humanity-72061

Euro|Topics: Debates, January 2017: Protests against US immigration ban / Anger over Trump's travel ban http://www.eurotopics.net/en/173519/protests-against-us-immigration-ban

EUObserver, 30.01.17: Merkel leads EU revolt on Trump's Muslim ban https://euobserver.com/political/136712

Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 30.01.17: The dam is burst: Trump has legitimised the politically incorrect http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2017/01/30/the-dam-is-burst-trump-politically-incorrect/

CAPX, 30.01.17: Trump’s 'Muslim ban' is a colossal own goal https://capx.co/trumps-muslim-ban-is-a-colossal-own-goal/?omhide=true

EurActiv, 30.01.17: Trump ban: EU ‘will never discriminate on grounds of race, religion or nationality’ http://www.euractiv.com/section/all/video/trump-ban-eu-will-never-discriminate-on-grounds-of-race-religion-or-nationality/

EurActiv, 30.01.17: EU migration chief may call Trump team over Muslim travel ban http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/eu-migration-chief-to-call-trump-team-over-muslim-travel-ban/

EurActiv, 30.01.17: Czech president backs Trump’s refugee ban http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/czech-president-backs-trumps-refugee-ban/

European Parliament: Press Release, 31.01.17: Foreign Affairs and Development MEPs deeply concerned about 'US travel ban' http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/20170131IPR60364/

Chatham House: Expert Comment, 31.01.17: Trump Era Casts New Shadow Over Refugees https://www.chathamhouse.org/expert/comment/trump-era-casts-new-shadow-over-refugees

ECFR: Commentary, 03.02.17: How the EU should respond to Trump's immigration order http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_how_the_eu_should_respond_to_trumps_immigration_order

ECFR: Podcast, 31.01.17: Mark’s World In 30 Minutes: How to respond to Trump’s travel ban? http://www.ecfr.eu/podcasts/episode/marks_world_in_30_minutes_how_to_respond_to_trumps_travel_ban

Deutsche Welle, 04.02.17: German President Gauck calls on Europe to 'speak out' against Trump travel ban http://dw.com/p/2Wz2B

Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 04.02.17: Why Trump’s Wall is not racist, the Muslim ban is, and why the difference matters http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2017/02/04/why-trumps-wall-is-not-racist-the-muslim-ban-is-and-why-the-difference-matters/

European Parliament: Press Release, 01.02.17: MEPs firmly condemn US travel ban in debate with Federica Mogherini http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/20170131IPR60380/

EP: EPRS: At a Glance, February 2017: Donald Trump ' s executive order on immigration http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2017/599259/EPRS_ATA(2017)599259_EN.pdf

EP: EPRS: Keysource, 09.02.17: Reactions to President Trump’s executive order on the entry ban https://epthinktank.eu/2017/02/09/reactions-to-president-trumps-executive-order-on-the-entry-ban/

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