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newstfionline · 5 years ago

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Headlines

Canada’s Trudeau Clings to Power, but Loses Some of His Luster (Reuters) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held on to his job in Monday’s election, securing his spot as one of the world’s few high-profile progressive leaders, but tarnished by scandal and with his power diminished.

Dallas tornado devastates homes, leaves thousands without power (Washington Post) A tornado and several violent thunderstorms tore through the Dallas area Sunday night, destroying homes and businesses, lifting debris at least three miles in the air and leaving tens of thousands of people without power. The severe storms, featuring 70 mph winds, heavy rain, lightning and half-dollar-sized hail, left 65,000 people without power Sunday night. The city of Dallas said there are no reports of fatalities.

US takes step to require DNA samples from asylum-seekers (AP) The Trump administration is planning to collect DNA samples from asylum-seekers and other migrants detained by immigration officials and will add the information to a massive FBI database used by law enforcement hunting for criminals, a Justice Department official said. The official said the rules would not apply to legal permanent residents or anyone entering the U.S. legally, and children under 14 are exempt.

Haiti is on the brink of collapse (NYT) The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere has been trapped for years in political and economic dysfunction, but many Haitians say the current crisis is worse than anything they’ve experienced. Demonstrations began more than a year ago after the government of President Jovenel Moïse was accused of misappropriating billions of dollars meant for social development projects. At least 30 people have been killed since the protests intensified last month, according to the United Nations.

Bolivia Says Morales Near Outright Victory, Unrest Spreads (AP) Rioting broke out in parts of Bolivia among opponents of President Evo Morales after electoral authorities announced that a resumed vote count put the leader close to avoiding a runoff in his bid for a fourth term.

Chileans desperate for gas, groceries following weekend riots (Reuters) Chileans confronted hours-long lines at grocery stores and gas stations in the capital Santiago after a weekend of chaos in which at least 11 people were killed amid violent clashes, arson attacks and looting through the country.

UK Reviews Diplomatic Immunity Rules After Crash Involving U.S. Woman (Reuters) Britain said on Monday it was reviewing the rules which govern diplomatic immunity arrangements for U.S. personnel at an air force base after a man was killed when his motorbike collided with a car driven by a U.S. diplomat’s wife.

Emboldened, Turkey eyes nuclear weapons (NYT) Before his country’s incursion into northern Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey voiced a larger ambition: pursuing a nuclear weapon. With Turkey in confrontation with its NATO allies, his comments have taken on new meaning. The country already has the makings of a bomb program--uranium deposits and research reactors, as well as a long-delayed reactor under construction. Experts said it would take several years to get to a weapon.

India and Pakistan trade fire (Foreign Policy) Indian and Pakistani forces exchanged fire over the weekend across the line dividing the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, killing nine civilians and soldiers, in one of the deadliest fights over the so-called Line of Control. Indian army officials said their forces had carried out military strikes targeting four terrorist camps after what they said was an attempt by terrorists to infiltrate the country.

Japanese Emperor Naruhito Pledges to Fulfill Duty at Enthronement Ceremony (Reuters) Japanese Emperor Naruhito pledged to fulfill his duty as a symbol of the state as he officially announced his enthronement on Tuesday in a centuries-old ceremony attended by heads of state and other dignitaries from more than 180 countries.

Duterte Cuts Short Japan Trip Due to ‘Unbearable’ Spine Pain (AP) Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is cutting short his trip to Japan due to “unbearable pain” in his spinal column caused by his fall during a motorcycle ride last week.

New Zealand Battles to Rein in Blaze at Convention Center (Reuters) New Zealand fire services were battling a massive blaze on Tuesday on the roof of a convention center being built in the city of Auckland, considered to be the country’s biggest current building project.

Trump’s Latest Reversal on Syria (Foreign Policy) In the face of withering criticism from both sides of the aisle over his decision to withdraw U.S. forces from the Syrian border with Turkey, paving the way for a bloody Turkish incursion that has killed scores of Kurdish soldiers and civilians and displaced hundreds of thousands, President Donald Trump is now reportedly considering leaving behind a skeleton force of a few hundred troops to protect oil fields and fight the Islamic State. The principal mission for the handful of U.S. troops that stay would be to keep Syria’s oil fields, which are mostly in Kurdish-held territory, out of Syrian President Bashar al Assad’s hands. It’s not clear that the residual force would be welcomed by the local population after what was seen as a betrayal. Syrians hurled rocks and rotting tomatoes at departing U.S. military vehicles.

Israel’s Netanyahu gives up effort to form new government (Reuters) Benjamin Netanyahu gave up his effort to form a new government on Monday after failing to secure a majority coalition, creating an opportunity for centrist rival Benny Gantz to replace Israel’s longest serving prime minister.

Tens of thousands rally against former ruling party in Sudan (Reuters) Tens of thousands of Sudanese demonstrated in Khartoum and other cities on Monday to call for the former ruling party to be dissolved and for ex-officials to be put on trial.

#headlines #news

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expatimes · 4 years ago

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‘I have nothing else’: Uighur man fights to join family in Canada | Human Rights News

Toronto, Canada – It is still painful for Ayoub Mohammed to talk about his detention at Guantanamo Bay, the notorious United States-run site in Cuba that he describes as being closer to “a cage” than a prison.

“We felt like animals … It was overwhelming,” Mohammed, 37, told Al Jazeera from Albania, where he now lives as a refugee.

Despite enduring four years of torture at Guantanamo in the 2000s, where he was held under false allegations of being an “enemy combatant”, he said the current separation from his wife and two young children is another kind of pain.

Mohammed has been waiting for more than six years to reunite with his family who live in Canada and hold Canadian citizenship, but his application for permanent residency has been rejected twice – the last time in August.

“My family is everything to me. They’re my existence, my happiness – they’re everything. I have nothing else,” Mohammed said. “For both of us – for them and me – the separation is psychological pain.”

A detainee peers out through the so-called ‘bean hole’, used to pass food and other items into detainee cells, at Camp Delta detention centre at Guantanamo Bay US Naval Base, Cuba

It has been nearly 20 years since the US military exonerated Mohammed, concluding that he is an innocent man who had been wrongfully jailed – but the unfounded allegations continue to burden him. Today, he remains in limbo, waiting anxiously to be reunited with his loved ones.

‘They sold me for $5,000’

Mohammed left his native East Turkestan, also known as Xinjiang in western China, in August 2001 at age 17 to obtain a US visa in Pakistan for his studies, eager to secure a better future for himself.

But Mohammed said he and other ethnic Uighurs were captured by bounty hunters in the aftermath of September 11 attacks, handed over to the Pakistani government and sold to US forces “without any evidence” of wrongdoing.

“They sold me for $5,000 and then I had all these accusations piled up on me,” he said. “But it’s always just been about politics.”

He was sent to Guantanamo in 2002, accused of being a member of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which China says is a Uighur “terrorist” group.

Muslim detainees pray during an early morning Islamic prayer at the US military prison for ‘enemy combatants’ in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

But in 2003, the US concluded that he was not a threat to the country’s security and two years later, the US Combatant Status Review Tribunal exonerated him, declaring that Mohammed was not an “enemy combatant”. He was released and sent to live in Albania in 2006.

In 2008, the US said none of the 22 Uighur detainees who had been held at Guantanamo was an “enemy combatant”.

‘Very problematic’ evidence

But the Canadian government has rejected Mohammed’s permanent residency application.

Ottawa says its decision has nothing to do with the time he spent at Guantanamo, but rather that its concerns lie in his alleged involvement with the ETIM.

In 2016, an immigration officer cited “reasonable grounds to believe that he was a member of … – that engaged in terrorism”, an allegation Mohammed has always denied.

Protests have been held around the world in support of Uighur Muslims in China

A spokesperson from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the federal government department responsible for immigration issues, told Al Jazeera it could not comment on the case as “the matter is before the courts”.

Mohammed is not the only Uighur Muslim detained at Guantanamo who is now fighting to be allowed to immigrate to Canada. Khalil Mamut and Salihidin Abdulahad have also been waiting to reunite with their wives and children in Canada since 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Both Mamut and Abdulahad spent seven years at Guantanamo before they were also declared innocent and sent to live in Bermuda.

Toronto-based lawyer Prasanna Balasundaram, who represents all three men, told Al Jazeera the evidence Canada is relying on is “very problematic”.

“They’re relying on – at least in part – US intelligence documents that were subsequently shown to be unreliable,” Balasundaram said. “For that reason, we think that the evidence is simply not credible. The allegations are overbroad and ultimately they should not be found inadmissible to Canada.”

No justification

Mohammed said it was not until his trial was under way that he first heard of the ETIM.

When he left East Turkestan in 2001, his family warned him against making any negative comments about the Chinese government. “Don’t engage in any political activities … Think about what will happen to us,” he said they advised him, referring to retaliation.

“It didn’t even cross my mind. I wasn’t going to engage in anything for the sake of my family.”

China’s Uighur population and other ethnic Muslims have faced human rights abuses for decades.

Since 2017, Xinjiang authorities have engaged in a campaign of intrusive surveillance, arbitrary detention, torture, political indoctrination and forced cultural assimilation, targeting the region’s Muslims, Amnesty International has reported.

Ethnic Uighur women wave East Turkestan flags during a protest in Istanbul, Turkey, October 1, 2020

Mehmet Tohti, the Ottawa-based executive director of Uighur Rights Advocacy Project, told Al Jazeera that the group does not understand Canada’s justifications for dismissing the three men’s applications for family reunification.

Last month, the US delisted the ETIM from its list of “terrorist organisations”, a move slammed by China. The ETIM is not on Canada’s list of “terrorist entities and organisations”.

“So there’s no for their rejection,” Tohti said, adding that the least Canada can do is offer humanitarian help. “If … you can help those children to wake up with their parents in the morning, that’s the least you can do to help the Uighurs.”

Balasundaram, the lawyer, added that delays in Canada’s decision-making processes have added to the plight of the three men and their families.

“The fact that these men haven’t been able to get a clear answer and make plans with respect to where or how they are going to reunify with their families – it’s been extremely problematic,” Balasundaram said.

‘We have to speak up’

Meanwhile, Mohammed said he last saw his wife and children two years ago, when they came to Albania to see him. Since then, his eight-year-old daughter has become shy with him, which he said breaks his heart.

Some time ago, his wife was also hospitalised. “It broke my heart because even in this free world, I couldn’t be there with her,” Mohammed said.

Despite his personal ordeal, Mohammed said he hoped his case could help draw attention to the plight of Uighurs who are living “in an even more dangerous situation” in China, where he said they are treated “worse than animals”.

The men in his family are “all gone”, he said, either sent to camps or prison.

Amnesty International reported that more than a million ethnic Muslims have been held in camps in Xinjiang, part of an effort by the Chinese government to wipe out their religious beliefs and cultural identity.

Beijing has rejected the allegations, saying its policies in Xinjiang aim to “root out extremism” and that the camps are training centres. It has accused rights groups and foreign governments of seeking to interfere in the country’s internal affairs.

“Faced with undeniable evidence of mass internment, arbitrary punishment and torture, the Chinese government eventually acknowledged the camps, but absurdly claimed that they were voluntary vocational training centres,” Alex Neve, former secretary-general of Amnesty International Canada, said during a Canadian parliamentary committee meeting in July.

“The true scope and nature of what has been taking place in Xinjiang is not yet fully known because the Chinese government steadfastly resists calls to admit independent monitors into the region,” Neve said.

Mohammed said his sister’s son, for instance, was arrested for having a conversation outside with more than three people. They were caught on camera and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, Mohammed said.

“We have to speak up now,” he said, urging countries to do more to protect Uighurs. “Given what’s happening … to make sure don’t disappear off the face of the Earth, I ask all these governments including the Canadian government, do what little you can.”

#humanrights Read full article: https://expatimes.com/?p=15875&feed_id=24320 #asiapacific #canada #china #humanrights #news #uighur #usampcanada

#AsiaPacific #Canada #China #HumanRights #News #Uighur #USampCanada

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soloziamwillbetheendofme · 7 years ago

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When President Donald Trump signed his since-revised executive order banning people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States, he claimed it was to protect Americans from “radical Islamic terrorists.”

“We don’t want ‘em here,” Trump told reporters at the Pentagon, where he signed the order in January.

But in the eight months since Trump took office, more Americans have been killed in attacks by white American men with no connection to Islam than by Muslim terrorists or foreigners.

Radical Islamic terrorists inspired or directed by groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda do pose a clear threat to the US. There is no question about that. Before last night’s deadly shooting in Las Vegas, the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history occurred in June 2016 when an ISIS-inspired man opened fire in a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 people and wounding 53.

And ISIS-linked militants have killed or injured dozens of people in countries like England, France, and Canada so far this year, including two women killed in a stabbing attack in Marseille, France, and several people injured in a car-ramming attack in Edmonton, Canada, just this weekend.

But here at home, the bigger threat has come from a very different kind of attacker, one with no ties to religion generally or Islamist extremism specifically.

Here are just a few of the attacks that have occurred in 2017:

Sunday night, a 64-year-old white man from Nevada opened fire on a crowd of more than 22,000 people at a country music festival in Las Vegas, killing more than 50 and wounding more than 200.

In August, a 20-year-old white Nazi sympathizer from Ohio sped his car into a crowd of anti-racist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, killing a woman and injuring at least 19 others.

In June, a 66-year-old white man from Illinois shot at Republican Congress members during an early morning baseball practice, severely wounding several people including Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the House of Representatives Majority Whip.

In March 2017, a 28-year-old white man from Baltimore traveled to New York City with the explicit aim of killing black men. He stabbed 66-year-old Timothy Caughman to death and was charged with terrorism by New York state authorities.

In May, a 35-year-old white man from Oregon named Jeremy Joseph Christian began harassing Muslim teenagers on a train in Portland, telling them “We need Americans here!” Two men interceded; Christian then stabbed and killed them both.

In fact, between 2001 and 2015, more Americans were killed by homegrown right-wing extremists than by Islamist terrorists, according to a study by New America, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, DC.

A June 2017 study by Reveal and the Center for Investigative Reporting found a similar pattern.

Even the “radical Islamic terrorists” are usually US citizens In Trump’s very first speech to Congress, he claimed that “the vast majority of individuals convicted of terrorism and terrorism-related offenses since 9/11 came here from outside of our country.”But none of the perpetrators of the major US terrorist attacks carried out in the name of Islam in the past 15 years have come from the nations on Trump’s travel ban (either the original one or the new, revised version that was released late last month). In fact, the country home to the biggest number of terrorists who have carried out successful attacks inside the US is the US itself. The San Bernardino shooting that killed 14 people was carried out by an American-born US citizen of Pakistani descent and a lawful permanent US resident of Pakistani descent. The Orlando nightclub shooter who murdered 49 people was an American-born US citizen of Afghan descent. The Boston marathon bombers, who identified as ethnic Chechen, came to the US from Kyrgyzstan and grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, before carrying out attacks that left three dead. Faisal Shahzad, the attempted Times Square bomber, was Pakistani-American. Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009, was born in Virginia to Palestinian parents.And as my colleague Zack Beauchamp has written, the average likelihood of an American being killed in a terrorist attack in which an immigrant participated in any given year is one in 3.6 million — even including the 9/11 deaths. The average American is more likely to die from their own clothing or a toddler with a gun than an immigrant terrorist. But we’re not banning guns and T-shirts from coming into the country.Adopting extremist views and committing horrendous acts of violence in the name of some "righteous" cause, be it religion or politics or just plain old hatred, isn't something that only Muslims, or Arabs, or immigrants, or any other group of people do. It's something humans do.

#usa #mass shooting #say it louder for the people in the back

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wellesleyunderground · 7 years ago

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Lufthansa, We Need to Talk

This is an open letter to Customer Service at Lufthansa, Frankfurt Airport, and Securitas Security Services from Samaa Ahmed ‘13.

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Monday May 15, 2017, 10:30 AM Frankfurt time.

The last 24 hours have been an absolute nightmare. I have never felt so humiliated and disrespected in my entire life.

My flight to Frankfurt from Istanbul (LH 1299 on Sunday May 14, 2017) was delayed due to bad weather, and by the time the flight arrived, my connecting flight to Toronto, scheduled for Sunday May 14, had already left. There were a few other passengers in the same situation as me, and we were instructed to go to the Lufthansa Service Center in Frankfurt Airport, near the B gates, to be re-accommodated for the next flight.

It is frustrating to miss a flight, especially by only a few minutes, but it does not have to be unpleasant.

A few other passengers from my Istanbul flight and I walked together to the Lufthansa Service Center, grumbling but smiling and reassuring each other We spent about half an hour standing in line to speak to the service agents at the counter, and one by one, all of the other passengers who were on my flight en route to Toronto were provided with accommodation at hotels in Frankfurt for the night, for free , and rebooked for the morning flight—all in avery respectful way. When I approached the counter to speak to a customer service agent, Rai, I was not afforded the same courtesy.

I have a Pakistani passport, and I live in Canada as a Permanent Resident. I was supposed to have a one hour transit through Frankfurt on my way back home from a week long vacation in Turkey. (Even though my stop over was supposed to be very short, I would have needed a Shengen visa to spend even an hour in Germany, but because I have a Canadian PR, I was exempt.)

When I gave Rai my passport, boarding card, and explained my situation—which he was very familiar with at this point, having dealt with many other customers in the same situation before me—he looked me up and down, and informed me that I would not be able to leave the airport for the night. “You have put yourself in a very bad situation,” he told me, as if I had anything to do with the fact that my flight had been delayed.

“Okay, that’s fine, what are my options?” I said.

He replied that there was nothing he could do for me, handed my documents back, and motioned for the next passenger to come forward.

According to the Lufthansa Service pamphlet detailing Passenger’s Rights in the EU, passengers in these situations have the right to be accommodated in a hotel, provided meals, and to be treated respectfully. So, with that information in mind, I told Rai that I needed some form of accommodation. The next flight to Toronto was at 9:20 AM the next day (at this point it was approximately 5:00 PM in the afternoon, so I had 17 hours to go) and I needed somewhere to sleep, shower, and some toiletries to use since mine were checked in in my suitcase. Also, I asked if there was another customer service person I could speak to, perhaps a hotline?

Rai told me that no, there was no one else I could speak to, but if I wanted, I could submit a request online via the Lufthansa website. And, disdainfully, said that I could check the MyCloud Transit Hotel, which was located in the Z gates. Perhaps they could do something for me. I would have to pay upfront, and maybe Lufthansa could reimburse me, after I submitted a form and explanation online. Although that was a very unsatisfactory resolution to my problem, I said okay, and asked him if he could check the rates for the hotel. He said no, he couldn’t, that I could Google it.

I was going to walk over to the Z gates so I could check then. Before I headed over, I asked him if I could please have a toiletry set so I could brush my hair and freshen up. He said that he didn’t know if they had any. I asked him to check. He said, “Why don’t you go to the MyCloud hotel, and if they can’t accommodate you, then come back and I will give you one.”

I saw another customer service agent give a toiletry kit to another passenger, who had an American passport, and who was already being put up for the night in a hotel. Their conversation was easy and pleasant. I pointed that out to Rai, that this (white) man had been given a toiletry kit, so I think they had them. This seemed to really fluster Rai because he accused me of being racist. Really? This entire issue was already about race and nationality - the colour of my skin and the colour of my passport being the determinant of whether I was allowed to be treated like all the other passengers - and I was supposed to pretend like it wasn’t?

Rai raised his voice at me and began being aggressive. I asked him again for the toiletry kit, and he said, “I don’t know if we have a female overnight kit.” I said, “I don’t care, I can use a male one, can you just check?” He finally went to the back room, returned with a female toiletry kit, and threw it across the counter at me.

I understand that there are certain rules and regulations that are in place, but there are respectful and courteous ways to enforce them. I am a paying customer, and I was not treated with dignity. I felt embarrassed and belittled by the experience. However, that was just the beginning of my ordeal.

I spent another 20 minutes walking and shuttling to the Z gates, where I was told that the MyCloud hotel was located. I was alone this time. I followed the signs until the AZ security point, and then couldn’t see any more signs for the hotel. I asked a female TSA agent at the AZ checkpoint where the hotel was. She, very sternly, told me to go back to the B gates. I told her that I had just come from the B gates, that I was directed here, and that the sign pointed here. She was very curt and short with me. She repeated, “B gates!” and then turned her back to me.

I should note here that I have a severe anxiety disorder, and a non-visible back injury, both of which I receive treatment and medication for. At this point, I had spent over an hour in lines, being treated poorly by staff at Frankfurt Airport, and, because my water bottle had been confiscated at the first security checkpoint, I was not able to take my medication. I felt incredibly helpless, lost, and in pain. I couldn’t help but cry. I am not an excessively emotional person, and I do not remember the last time I cried in public, but I did not know what else to do.

Thankfully, a very kind man named Ashraf, a TSA agent, came over to me and asked me what happened. I explained my situation, how I had been shuffled from one side of the airport to another, how I had been denied accommodation for the night, and I didn’t know what to do. Ashraf was of Pakistani descent too. He spoke to me in Urdu - although I am more fluent in English - and he sympathized and empathized with me. He suggested that I speak to another Lufthansa Service Center agent, and, because the situation was due to no fault of my own, and the circumstances were all out of my control, he reaffirmed that I was entitled to be given a place to spend the night, a meal, and certainly water! He waited while I was processed through security again (the third time since I had landed in Frankfurt, not even counting the times in Istanbul), and walked me down to the Lufthansa Service desk. He reassured me that everything would be okay, and he offered me the first and only apology that I received in Frankfurt.

Although these were small gestures, they were very meaningful to me. Ashraf’s kindness and generosity allowed me to feel a sense of respectability, and validated my humanity. Although I did thank him earlier, I would like to thank him, and acknowledge Ashraf Uncle’s compassion again.

I stood in the Service line for another hour, waiting to speak to an agent. Ashraf checked up on me periodically to see if I had gotten to the counter yet. Everyone in the line ahead of me was treated very kindly by the agents, spoken to respectfully and gently, but I was still very nervous to approach the desk, having been shouted at twice already. I knew that what it would come down to was that they all had European and North American passports, and that I had a Pakistani one.

While I was waiting in line, another Lufthansa agent walked up to me and asked me, very gruffly, where I was going. I told him Toronto. He replied aggressively and said, “You have to leave the airport - the flight is tomorrow!” I said yes, I know, but I can’t leave the airport, that’s why I am standing in line to speak to a customer service agent. He looked at me sideways, “What passport do you have?” I said, it doesn’t matter, I am waiting in line to speak to someone. He demanded that I give him my passport, but I said no, I am waiting in line like everyone else, I will speak to someone at the desk. He made very exasperated sounds at me, rolled his eyes, and walked away.

After about an hour in line, I finally got to the desk. It was about 7:00 PM at this point - for reference, my flight from Istanbul landed at 4:30 PM, since which I had been on my feet, standing in lines, just waiting. I was helped by Dong, who also told me that he couldn’t put me up in a hotel, however, he seemed sincerely apologetic about the bureaucracy involved. He, too, suggested the MyCloud Transit Hotel, and said that although Lufthansa didn’t have a contract with them, that I could most likely get reimbursed afterwards—something I trust Lufthansa to do. I asked him if there was a customer service person I could speak to or call to verify this, and he said no, but I could submit a form online.

I overheard a European customer, who was being put up in a hotel, being told that she would get a buffet dinner that night, and a buffet breakfast the next day, all paid for by Lufthansa. I didn’t have any Euros with me, so I asked Dong if I could perhaps eat a meal at a lounge or something? I was told that because I was not a business class passenger, that I would not be able to go to the lounge. (Perhaps I should mention here that I have Bronze and Silver British Airways, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways cards, but because I was travelling Lufthansa and Air Canada during this trip, I didn’t bring those cards with me.) Dong then offered me two meal vouchers, a shower voucher, and - without me even asking - a female toiletry kit!

I am very curious as to why there was such different treatment offered by Lufthansa service staff in the same terminal?

One, Rai, told me that there was nothing he could do for me, dismissed me and my requests, and treated me with unfiltered contempt. The other, Dong, was helpful, tried to come up with solutions, and treated me graciously, although he was still not able to offer me a hotel.

Lufthansa, what is your standard protocol? Why is it not uniformly implemented?

I cannot possibly be the only passenger who has been in this situation, or ever will be. The onus to accommodate passengers is on the airline, yet I was subjected to disrespect throughout, and treated as though I was at fault for something. Is it because I was born in Pakistan? Your employees went out of their way to disrespect me, I am, however, not ashamed of my heritage, and I absolutely refuse to be treated poorly because of racism or xenophobia.

I finally arrived at the MyCloud hotel at 8:00pm, and was greeted warmly. I booked a room for 11 hours. The total cost ended up being over 200 Euros .

I stayed the night in a room the size of a walk-in closet, and woke up at 6:30 AM, hoping to just get back home to Toronto without having to experience any more uncomfortable situations—Unfortunately, I was in for more!

At 8:30 AM, I lined up at the departure gate for my Air Canada flight to Toronto, which I had already checked in for the day before, for which I had received an email confirmation. I had my printed boarding card from the previous day’s flight, but I was told, twice, that would be all I needed to show at the gate, in addition to my new itinerary, which Dong had printed for me the day before.

I got to the front of the document inspection line, and handed the Securitas agent my documents: old boarding card, new itinerary, passports, and Canadian PR card. All of the passengers in front of me were waved through this point with a smile, as though this was just a formality, but again, I was stopped and questioned.

The agent - who wouldn’t tell me his name when I asked him, and hid his name tag, but was at gate B42 at 9:00 AM on May 15 - flipped through my passport suspiciously, and held my PR card up to the light, presumably to check if it was fake. He asked me where I was flying from, I said Istanbul. He asked me if I was travelling alone, I said yes, he asked me why, I said “I don’t know, I was visiting a friend?”, he asked where my Turkish visa was, I said “I had an e-visa, why does this matter? I am just trying to go home, and I have a Canadian PR card!” (This questioning is obviously way above and beyond the necessary scope of what is required when flying from Frankfurt to Toronto.)

He then looked at my boarding card, which was issued by Lufthansa the day before, and said “You are at the wrong gate. This is an Air Canada flight.” He then waved me away from the line. I said, “Yes, I know this is an Air Canada flight...” and tried to explain my situation. He said, “Go to the counter!” I tried to explain again, that I had an e-boarding pass on my phone, and an email confirmation, but this time he shouted “Go to the counter!”

I felt humiliated, isolated, and ashamed.

I stood at the counter for another 5 minutes before anyone even looked at me, let alone helped me, while the rest of the flight continued to board.

Finally, an Air Canada agent at the counter checked me in - with no problem at all - although my previously reserved seat had been given to someone else. I informed this agent that I had been treated horribly during my last 24 hours at the airport, and asked if there was a customer feedback line I could call or someone I could email. She said I could Google “Fraport customer service” for the latter, and the rest she said was “Lufthansa’s problem.” I asked, what about the man at your gate? Who do I speak to about the way he treated me? And she said “That’s the airport’s problem.”

I went back to the document inspection line, back to the same man, and again, he rifled through my passport, and again, he held my PR card up to the light, and rubbed the holographic seal to see if it was authentic. I didn’t see him scrutinize anyone else’s documents in this same way, and I didn’t approve of the way that I was being treated, so I asked him for his name. He said “No!” and hid his badge with his hand. His female colleague stepped in and said “If there is a problem, contact Securitas.”

I was finally able to get on the plane.I am writing this in flight, and I continue to be stunned and horrified by the treatment that I received. The staff at Frankfurt Airport could teach a masterclass on racism. I have never, ever, encountered such blatantly disrespectful, unequal, and discriminatory behavior in my life.

I am a frequent flyer, I have traveled all over the world, and this experience was something profoundly, uniquely, bad.

This is what I need:

An acknowledgement of what happened.

I need an explanation of your policies, why they were not followed, and some accountability for all of the individuals involved. I did not get everyone’s names, but I can provide descriptions if necessary.

A commitment to changing your policies.

Lufthansa: you must ensure that you have adequate accommodation available at the airport for passengers who cannot leave the airport - provided free of charge, as is the case for passengers who can leave the airport. This is necessary to comply with EU human rights legislation, and passenger rights and regulations.

Lufthansa, Frankfurt Airport, and Securitas: you need to ensure that special training is given to all staff on how to behave appropriately, courteously, and ensure the dignity of all passengers/customers.

Equitable compensation and reimbursement for costs that I incurred during my time in Frankfurt. I can provide receipts.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Samaa Ahmed

#Wellesley Underground #Samaa Ahmed #Lufthansa #Inclusion Series

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reach2world-blog · 6 years ago

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Get your European permanent Residency in just 4- 5 months Call us now 0547934963 #citizenship #permanent residency #malta #portugal #Cyprus #spain #greece #canada #immigrants #immigration #uaedoctors #uae #indians #pakistanis #iran #iraq #syrians #lebanese #egyptians #palestanians (at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) https://www.instagram.com/reach2world/p/BwgamAsgQuJ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=5lhbl1i6oxed

#citizenship #permanent #malta #portugal #cyprus #spain #greece #canada #immigrants #immigration #uaedoctors #uae #indians #pakistanis #iran #iraq #syrians #lebanese #egyptians #palestanians

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supervidyavinay · 4 years ago

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By Zainab Fattah and Abeer Abu OmarIt took Sarah Sissons less than a month to call an end to 25 years in Dubai. The 39-year-old moved back to Australia in May with her husband and daughter. She first came to the Gulf business hub as a teenager, when her father was a pilot for Emirates, and never really left.“Dubai is home for me,” said Sissons, who owned a small cafe and worked as a freelance human resources consultant. But “it’s expensive here and there’s no safety for expats. If I take the same money to Australia and we run out of everything, at least we’ll have medical insurance and free schooling.”It’s a choice facing millions of foreigners across the Gulf as the fallout from the pandemic and a plunge in energy prices forces economic adjustments. Wealthy Gulf Arab monarchies have, for decades, depended on foreign workers to transform sleepy villages into cosmopolitan cities. Many grew up or raised families here, but with no formal route to citizenship or permanent residency and no benefits to bridge the hard times, it’s a precarious existence. The impact is starkest in Dubai, whose economic model is built on the presence of foreign residents who comprise about 90% of the population.Oxford Economics estimates the United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is a part, could lose 900,000 jobs -- eye-watering for a country of 9.6 million -- and see 10% of its residents uproot. Newspapers are filled with reports of Indian, Pakistani and Afghan blue-collar workers leaving on repatriation flights, but it’s the loss of higher earners that will have painful knock-on effects on an emirate geared toward continuous growth.“An exodus of middle class residents could create a death spiral for the economy,” said Ryan Bohl, a Middle East analyst at Stratfor. “Sectors that relied on those professionals and their families such as restaurants, luxury goods, schools and clinics will all suffer as people leave. Without government support, those services could then lay off people who would then leave the country and create more waves of exodus.”With the global economy in turmoil, the decision to leave isn’t straightforward. Dubai residents who can scrape by will likely stay rather than compete with the newly unemployed back home. The International Labor Organization says more than 1 billion workers globally are at high risk of pay cuts or job losses because of the coronavirus.Some Gulf leaders, like Kuwait’s prime minister, are encouraging foreigners to leave as they fret about providing new jobs for locals. But the calculation for Dubai, whose economy depends on its role as a global trade, tourism and business hub, is different.The crisis will likely accelerate the UAE’s efforts to allow residents to remain permanently, balanced against the status of citizens accustomed to receiving extensive benefits since the discovery of oil. For now, the UAE is granting automatic extensions to people with expiring residence permits and has suspended work-permit fees and some fines. It’s encouraging local recruitment from the pool of recently unemployed and has pushed banks to provide interest-free loans and repayment breaks to struggling families and businesses. A Dubai government spokesperson said authorities were studying more help for the private sector: “Dubai is considered home to many individuals and will always strive to do the necessary to welcome them back.”Dubai’s main challenge is affordability. The city that built its reputation as a free-wheeling tax haven has become an increasingly costly base for businesses and residents. In 2013, Dubai ranked as the 90th most expensive place for expatriates, according to New York-based consultant Mercer. It’s now 23rd, making it the priciest city in the Middle East, though it slipped from 21st place in 2019 as rents declined due to oversupply.Education is emerging as a deciding factor for families, especially as more employers phase out packages that cover tuition. Though there’s now a wider choice of schools at different price points, Dubai had the region’s highest median school cost last year at $11,402, according to the International Schools Database.That will likely lead parents to switch to cheaper schools and prompt cuts in fees, according to Mahdi Mattar, managing partner at MMK Capital, an advisory firm to private equity funds and Dubai school investors. He estimates enrollments may drop 10%-15%.Sarah Azba, a teacher, lost her job when social distancing measures forced schools online. That deprived her of an important benefit; a free education for her son. So she and the children are returning to the U.S., where her 14-year-old son will go to public school and her daughter to college. Her husband will stay and move to a smaller, cheaper home.“Separating our family wasn’t an easy decision but we had to make this compromise,” Azba said.For decades, Dubai has thought big, building some of the world’s most expansive malls and tallest buildings. From the desert sprang neighborhoods lined with villas designed for expat families lured by sun and turbo-boosted, tax-free salaries. New entertainment strips popped up and world-class chefs catered to an international crowd. But the stress was building long before 2020. Malls were busy but shoppers weren’t spending as much. Residential properties were being built but there were fewer buyers. New restaurants seemed to cannibalize business from old. The economy never returned to the frenetic pace it enjoyed before the 2008 global credit crunch prompted the last bout of expatriate departures. Then, just as it turned a corner, the 2014 plunge in oil prices set growth back again. The Expo 2020, a six-month exhibition expected to attract 25 million visitors, was supposed to be a reset; it’s now been delayed due to Covid-19. Weak demand means recovery will take time. Unlike some Middle Eastern countries, the UAE isn’t seeing a resurgence in Covid-19 infections as it reopens, but its reliance on international flows of people and goods means it’s vulnerable to global disruptions.Emirates Group, the world’s largest long-haul carrier, is laying off employees as it weighs slashing some 30,000 jobs, one of the deepest culls in an industry that was forced into near-hibernation. Dubai hotels will likely cut 30% of staff. Developers of Dubai’s man-made islands and tallest tower have reduced pay. Uber’s Middle East ride-hailing unit Careem eliminated nearly a third of jobs in May but said this week business was recovering.Dubai-based Move it Cargo and Packaging said it’s receiving around seven calls a day from residents wanting to ship their belongings abroad. That compares with two or three a week this time last year. Back then, the same number of people were moving in too. Now, it’s all outward bound.Marc Halabi, 42, spent the past week reluctantly sorting belongings accumulated over 11 years in Dubai. Boxes line the rooms as he, his wife and two daughters decide what to ship back to Canada. An advertising executive, Halabi lost his job in March. He’s been looking for work that would allow the family to remain but says he can’t afford to hold out any longer.“I’m upset we’re leaving,” Halabi said. “Dubai feels like home and has given me many opportunities, but when you fall on hard times, there isn’t much help and all you’re left with is a month or two to pick up and move.” from Economic Times https://ift.tt/3cSxFoK

#News #Economy #COVID19

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lodelss · 4 years ago

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Iranian Americans Have Rights, Too — No Matter What’s Happening Abroad

Like most Iranian Americans, my family immigrated to the United States in the aftermath of the 1979 revolution in Iran, hoping to find safety and acceptance in a country that prides itself on diversity and freedom of expression. We learned and embraced the principles of the Constitution, including freedom of speech and religion, due process, and equal protection — protections that apply to every person, citizen and non-citizen alike. But what happened at the U.S. border this past weekend was a painful reminder that sometimes, we are still considered outsiders.

In the state of Washington this weekend, U.S. border authorities summarily detained and interrogated Iranian Americans and lawful permanent residents who were on their way home from Canada. Many were returning from holiday trips to visit family in Vancouver, which is also home to a large Iranian community. Many had gone there for a pop concert. Many were simply on vacation. But that’s not the point. The point is that these people — families, young and old, even small children — were singled out because of their Iranian heritage.

The news is highly disturbing, but it isn’t the first time Iranian Americans have faced discrimination based on political tensions outside of our control. Nor is it the first time border and law enforcement officers have conducted unmerited abuses targeting vulnerable communities. We’ve seen the government abuse the rights of Americans of Somali, Afghan, and Pakistani descent following military action as well. But amid the anti-immigrant, Constitution-flouting policies of the current administration, this news was chilling.

The government has the authority to question travelers to verify identity, citizenship, or legal status, and to conduct reasonable searches for contraband. The government cannot, however, question them about their political views, associations with others, and religious beliefs. That raises serious First Amendment concerns. Everyone has basic constitutional protections at the border and ports of entry — and U.S. citizens and lawful residents cannot be denied entry if they refuse to answer such questions.

This administration continuously espouses anti-immigrant rhetoric and follows up with unconscionable abuses — the Muslim ban, family separation, the inhumane detention of children, and many more. It has upended many immigrants’ lives through denaturalization and rescinding Temporary Protected Status, as well. The ACLU has long raised concerns about discriminatory questioning and detention at the border, and our concerns are particularly heightened in the current political climate.

As political tensions continue to flare between the U.S. and Iran, it is important to know our rights — and assert them.

The Constitution guarantees equal protection under the law and protects against discriminatory profiling and violations of First Amendment rights. We cannot allow actions abroad to be exploited as justifications for illegal and unfair discrimination at home.

Published January 9, 2020 at 02:53AM via ACLU https://ift.tt/2Ftqrtd

#IFTTT #Blogger

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studentsportal-blog1 · 5 years ago

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Good News for Pakistan Students Looking to Study in Canada

Good news for all the Pakistani students who are willing to go Canada for their higher studies, Canada has enlisted Pakistan in the Student Direct Stream (SDS) Program. Through the SDS program, Pakistani students are now eligible for a fast track application as of the other countries previously enlisted in the SDS policy.

Canada’s position as a top destination for students seeking a high-quality international education is strengthened when we provide fast, reliable processing of applications.

The Student Direct Stream (SDS) is now available to study permit applicants who are living in Pakistan. SDS applications require prospective students to provide more up-front information to officers, including meeting language test requirements in English or French and providing additional information that shows their ability to finance their education. With additional information, officers can process applications more efficiently.

The Student Direct Stream launched in 2018 as an option for study permit applicants in China, India, Philippines and Vietnam. Most SDS applications in those countries are being processed in under 3 weeks.

The expansion of SDS supports the Government’s goal of attracting students from a more diverse range of countries.

Many international students who graduate from a program in Canada often become eligible for a post-graduation work permit. With a Canadian education and skilled work experience in Canada, former international students are well positioned for success in applying for permanent residence through Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Program or the Atlantic Immigration Pilot.

In 2018, in fact, nearly 54,000 former students transitioned to permanent residence, an all-time high.

#study #student #canada #canadian #canadian visa #student visa #canadian student visa #study in canada #pakistan #pakistani

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canadiandoorway · 5 years ago

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How to get a Canadian Visa

In order to study in Canada, you will need to obtain a Canadian study permit, which serves as a Canadian student visa for the duration of your stay. You do not need a Canadian study permit if your course or program lasts six months or less. Nonetheless, it may be a good idea to apply for a permit before you come to Canada anyway – otherwise if you decide you want to continue your studies in another program, you’ll need to leave Canada to apply for a study permit through a visa office.

If you are looking for Canadian visa for Pakistani students, you can definitely avail one - thanks to SDS program.

Once you have a Canadian study permit, you can apply to renew it from within Canada if you decide to continue your studies. For full-time students registered at an accredited higher education institution, a study permit also allows you to work part-time on campus. You may also be able to work off-campus, work as a co-op or intern as part of your program, stay in Canada as a permanent resident or find work after you graduate.

#Canada #Canadian #Visa #Canada Visa #Canadian Visa

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nancydhooper · 5 years ago

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Iranian Americans Have Rights, Too — No Matter What’s Happening Abroad

https://twitter.com/ACLU/statuses/1215034504848592896

As political tensions continue to flare between the U.S. and Iran, it is important to know our rights — and assert them.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8247012 https://www.aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/iranian-americans-have-rights-too-no-matter-whats-happening-abroad via http://www.rssmix.com/

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immigrationconsultancy-blog · 7 years ago

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Quebec Province Unfolds a New Economic Immigration Program Identical to the Express Entry

Quebec is the highly job generating province of Canada. Canadian Immigration becoming the most favorite destination among the immigrants throughout the world. The government of Canada is now starting a new economic immigration intake program, which is resembling the express entry system.

New program is also identical to the current federal express entry system. This system using the previous strategy of Expression of Interest. The EOI is dealing with the all profiles of the candidates who has submitted their application for Quebec Skilled Worker Program.

This program was expected since January 2015, when the Federal Economic Immigration Management System was introduced. This time the immigration ministry clearly shown its intention to start their own version of Express Entry.

Quebec immigration has already a unique feature for immigration, so, this province has potential to launch this system for the aspirants. Actually, EOI system is regulating the old application process and continues till this new system becomes fully operative.

During this time period the applications will be entertained through Quebec immigration portal. The QSWP will manage and scrutinize the application forms. Canadian Immigration for Pakistani nationals is also covered under this system. You can apply just like the other nationals across the world are applying.

Similarities Between New Program with the Previous System

First of all, applicant must provide Expression of Interest and his/her eligibility for the QSWP. This will show his/her interest that why he/she wants to get immigration to Canada and his qualification about the certain required skill set.

There is one more similarity relates to the validity time period, which is one year. As soon as the applicant enters into the Expression of Interest Pool, the applicant will receive his/her score based upon Ranking System. This score will define his/her position in the pool rank. These steps are basically similar to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) of the Federal Express Entry System.

The ranking score is totally based on your age, education, language, skills, work experience, or few other factors. According to the latest information, Quebec province will introduce its own point system, which almost follow the Federal Express Entry System procedure.

Similarly, the applicants will receive invitations to apply for Quebec province who has applied in EOI pool. Now, within 90 days, the successful candidate can file application for CSQ. After getting CSQ, candidate then may apply for Canadian Permanent Residence.

Canadian Immigration through Provincial Nomination Programs is the best way to enter in Canada and to pursue bright future. Quebec province is now allowing more and more immigrants to enter and contribute into the economy of Canada.

Quebec province is full of job opportunities. There is a huge vacuum for skilled persons, and other required skill set. If you are planning to move for Canada then you can apply for Quebec province.

#Canadian Immigration #Visa for Canada #Immigration to Canada #Canadian Permanent Residence #Expression of Interest

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meshpedia-blog · 7 years ago

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Canada Soften Visa Policy For Momentum Pakistan - TECH Startup

Pakistan is getting a better position in world day by day. We have seen tech entrepreneurship is growing rapidly in the nation. But students are still facing the problems of investment and a better learning environment. This time Canadian government seems to be solving some of our problems. Recent news comes from the Canadian government to open up 52-week work permit for Pakistani. They also provide permanent residence for Pakistani tech startups and entrepreneurs. News that brought a smile to every tech startup of Pakistani! Mr. Amir Jafri, founder of Momentum Pakistan, the representative of Center Silicon Valley North revel news. He revealed features of the visa program for entrepreneur 2018. Pakistani startup and tech entrepreneur will award ticket to the Toronto-waterloo region. It houses thousands of technology startup and gives residence to tech-related people. This region is regarded as ‘Silicon Valley North' and people represent their ideas. The place where an idea will represent globally and get better connectivity in the global market. Momentum Pakistan will invite top tech companies to Karachi on February 19 and 20. These companies include Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon Web services and many others. They will mentor the innovative startups and will provide require tools and support to entrepreneur. In this regard, Canada soft visa policy for Pakistani tech people will support them. It will help them to build their business in the world and global market. Mr. Amir added that Canadian representative will also the part of Pakistan momentum. It will support the tech startups and will also grant a visa for Pakistani through momentum platform. The Canadian center's representative is also likely to attend Momentum Pakistan-2018 event in Karachi. They will interact the region and support our startups and they will also address their concerns. The representative will also show once a month visa programmer through video session.

Amir Jafri quoted Cam Wind:

Pakistani startups will keep their operations in Pakistan. They will work for it and visa will help them to get benefit from Canadian entrepreneurial friendly system. The preference for a visa will also explain through Cam wind explanation. Startups with innovative ideas related to the technology and have a clear vision. These startups will prefer over other startups and a history of certain revenue generation. Amir added that we know getting a visa from developed countries just like Canada is difficult. But with a collaboration of Canadian government; Pakistani startup will get a visa. It is really a game changer for our people and must look towards the offer. Read the full article

#MomentumPakistan

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newstwitter-blog · 8 years ago

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New Post has been published on News Twitter

New Post has been published on http://www.news-twitter.com/2017/01/29/la-times-trumps-ban-on-some-u-s-entries-sparks-confusion-and-protest-worldwide-and-legal-rebukes-at-home-5/

La Times: Trump's ban on some U.S. entries sparks confusion and protest worldwide, and legal rebukes at home

President Trump’s executive order suspending refugee arrivals and banning entry to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries spawned chaos and consternation across the globe Saturday, stranding unwitting travelers, prompting passionate debate over American values and igniting a fierce legal pushback that yielded early court victories for the president’s opponents.

The abrupt ban ensnared people from all walks of life who were caught in transit or expecting to soon return to the U.S. — not only refugees but students on a break from studies, business travelers and scientists, tourists and concert musicians, even the bereaved who had gone home for funerals.

Of all the directives issued during a first jolting week of Trump’s presidency, it was this one that reverberated most powerfully in the outside world. Trump and his team insisted the order was not intended to target Islam and its followers, but the hashtag #muslimban trended, and many Muslims both in America and abroad said they viewed the measure as a broadly conceived and stinging exclusion.

Capping a day of high-stakes drama, a federal judge in New York, Ann M. Donnelly, ordered a halt to deportations of travelers who arrived at airports with valid visas to enter the U.S., saying that sending them back to the affected countries could cause them “irreparable harm.” But she did not rule on the legality of the executive order, nor did she say that others who have not yet arrived in the U.S. can be allowed to proceed.

Opponents of the president’s directive vowed to seek a wider court win. Lawyers from groups including the American Civil Liberties Union said they intended to press ahead with efforts to overturn the president’s overall order on constitutional grounds. And they rejoiced at their early victory.

“Clearly the judge understood the possibility for irreparable harm to hundreds of immigrants and lawful visitors to this country,” said ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero. “On week one, Donald Trump suffered his first loss in court.”

In a separate and more limited ruling, a federal judge in Virginia ordered a weeklong stay against removing people with permanent U.S. residency who had been detained under the presidential order at Washington Dulles International Airport.

As the directive’s effects spread, thousands staged spontaneous protests against refugee detention at airports across the country, including in Los Angeles and San Francisco. At New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, demonstrators waved signs and read from the famous Emma Lazarus poem inscribed in the Statue of Liberty.

At more than a dozen airports, including Los Angeles, Newark, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Atlanta, immigration attorneys stepped up in droves to offer free services to those detained. “A lot of tears and emotion here,” said Hassan Ahmad, a lawyer from northern Virginia who hustled to Dulles airport.

The New York order appeared to affect the 100 to 200 people who were detained in transit to the United States. While the order will prevent them from being sent home, it was less clear whether they will have to remain in detention while their asylum cases are being decided.

One of the two detained Iraqis named in the case, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, was an interpreter who had worked on behalf of the U.S. government. Freed after 19 hours in custody, he wept as he spoke to reporters, thanking supporters and calling America “the land of freedom, the land of rights.”

The groups bringing the legal challenge, who also included the International Refugee Assistance Project and the National Immigration Law Center, said a separate motion sets the stage for a larger action involving other would-be refugees, visitors and immigrants stopped at other ports of entry.

Arab American advocacy groups also were reacting to the new order, warning that it was disrupting travel all over the world.

“We see complete chaos in the way this has been implemented,” Abed A. Ayoub, legal and policy director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, said in a conference call with reporters.

The directive, he said, had caught up not only desperate refugees who had thought themselves within a hairsbreadth of safety, but many more with already established lives, homes and families in the United States. “This order needs to be rescinded,” he said.

In another legal challenge, the Council on American-Islamic Relations said it would file a federal lawsuit on behalf of more than 20 individuals challenging the order. The suit, to be filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Virginia, argues that the executive order is unconstitutional because of its apparent aim of singling out Muslims.

“There is no evidence that refugees — the most thoroughly vetted of all people entering our nation — are a threat to national security,” the group’s national litigation director, Lena F. Masri, said in a statement. “This is an order that is based on bigotry, not reality.”

The order, signed Friday by Trump during a visit to the Pentagon, suspends all refugee entries for 120 days. In addition, it indefinitely blocks Syrian refugees and bars entry to the U.S. for 90 days for those traveling from seven Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

Prominent Muslim figures raised their voices in opposition to the temporary refugee ban, saying children would be among those suffering the most from it.

Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl who was shot by the Taliban, said in a statement that she was “heartbroken” that Trump was closing the door on “children, mothers and fathers fleeing violence and war.”

On Saturday, the Department of Homeland Security said the travel ban also covered holders of green cards, who are authorized to live and work in the U.S. Some reports have put the number of such permanent residents from the affected countries as high as half a million.

An administration official said that current green card holders from the affected countries would be allowed to remain in the U.S. — but that those caught outside the country at the time of the ban’s imposition would have to be allowed back in on a case-by-case basis. Those with business overseas will have to meet beforehand with a consular official.

The measure’s scope was also widened by a State Department announcement that dual nationals from the seven affected countries who also held passports from third countries such as Britain or Canada could be blocked — in effect denying U.S. entry to citizens of closely allied nations.

As the measure’s far-reaching impact became clear, and the airport chaos mounted throughout the day, Trump denied it was a “Muslim ban” and said the process was going smoothly. “We were totally prepared,” he told reporters in the Oval Office. “It’s working out very nicely, and we’re going to have a very, very strict ban.”

The move has hit the technology industry, which employs thousands of foreign-born workers, many from Muslim-majority countries. Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai on Friday slammed Trump’s executive order in a memo to employees, saying about 100 employees were affected, and advising those traveling abroad to reach out to the company’s immigration teams for assistance.

Investors and start-up employees are worried as well. Tech workers from countries such as Egypt and Jordan fear the list could soon expand to include their countries.

The entertainment world felt repercussions, too. It’s uncertain whether Iranian filmmaker and Oscar nominee Asghar Farhadi will be able to attend next month’s Academy Awards ceremony, though there are artistic waivers to the ban.

Relatives wondered when they would see loved ones again. Iranian American Milad Sharifpour, a physician at Emory University in Atlanta, was worried for his brother, Ali Reza, a green card holder who was in Tehran visiting family when the directive took effect. “I am sad, I’m upset, and I feel very frustrated,” Sharifpour said.

Many feared that what they intended as temporary trips abroad could become prolonged ordeals. A Syrian clarinetist who lives in New York and holds permanent U.S. residency was in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, for a concert when the order took effect.

It left him unsure whether he would be able to go back to his Brooklyn apartment, he said, “let alone all the concerts and residencies I have in the U.S. in the coming few months.”

He asked not to be identified, because he will soon be trying to return to the U.S.

“I am not sure how to describe how I feel,” he said. “It is certainly not about me; it is about so many individuals whose lives were deeply affected.”

Are you an immigrant? We want to hear your story »

The United Nations human rights agency issued a statement calling the long-standing U.S. refugee resettlement program “one of the most important in the world.” It called on the Trump administration to ensure the U.S. “will continue its strong leadership role and long tradition of protecting those who are fleeing conflict and persecution.”

“We strongly believe that refugees should receive equal treatment for protection and assistance, and opportunities for resettlement, regardless of their religion, nationality or race,” the group said.

Across the United States, refugee advocates scrambled to ascertain the status of those who were already en route or about to leave when the order came down. A total of 30 refugees were scheduled to arrive in Atlanta next week from Somalia, Afghanistan, Myanmar and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

All had gone through months of security checks.

“This is unprecedented,” said J.D. McCrary, executive director of the International Rescue Committee’s Atlanta office. “I’m not familiar with anything like this ever happening on such a mass scale in the entire history of this program. Slamming the door on those fleeing persecution is deeply un-American.”

In Congress, reaction to the immigration chaos tended to break down along party lines, with vociferous criticism from Democrats while Republicans largely remained silent.

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Trump had chosen a “dark path,” while both Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco said the Statue of Liberty would have wept.

One of the few Republicans to speak out against the directive was Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska, who said the order could play into the hands of jihadist groups by being excessively sweeping in nature.

“While not technically a Muslim ban, this order is too broad,” Sasse said in a statement.

Airports overseas and in the U.S. found themselves at ground zero for the spreading chaos. Five members of one Iraqi family, along with a Yemeni, were prevented from boarding flights in Cairo.

At the Frankfurt airport in Germany, a major hub for travel from the Middle East and onward to Europe and the U.S., more were stranded. A German radio network quoted federal police as saying that 20 people from all seven countries on the list were stuck in the airport’s transit zone, unable to board flights for the U.S.

In Atlanta, a growing cluster of family members and lawyers gathered Saturday at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after at least five permanent U.S. residents who had traveled to Iran on vacation were detained by federal immigration officials.

Mansour Kenareh, 55, an Iranian software engineer who lives in Suwanee, Ga., said his brother-in law, his wife and their 10-year-old child had been detained after returning from a vacation in Tehran to visit family.

“They have green cards, they have bank accounts, they have a house here,” Kenareh said as he paced the arrivals hall of the international terminal after an unfruitful visit to a Customs and Border Protection office. Officials, he said, had detained the family for more than five hours, even though they had lived legally in the U.S. for more than a year.

Sarah Owings, an immigration attorney, said that she had not been allowed to meet with the detained immigrants at the Atlanta airport.

“These are people who live here; they have houses, they have dogs, cars,” Owings said. “This should not be happening. They can’t send back a permanent resident without a hearing.”

Late Saturday, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said that all 11 people who were detained at the airport had been cleared and released.

In Europe, there was blowback from U.S. allies, who have absorbed a wave of refugees over the last two years and are already deeply unhappy with Trump for disparaging the NATO alliance and predicting the breakup of the European Union.

“When he rejects the arrival of refugees while Europe has done its duty, we should respond to him,” said French President Francois Hollande.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, well aware of Trump’s evangelical Christian base of support, said pointedly, “‘Love thy neighbor’ is part of this tradition, the act of helping others.”

On social media, users bemoaned what they said was a blow to what remained of the world’s respect for American ideals.

“Fascism USA 2017,” tweeted Mona Eltahawy, an Egyptian American author and activist.

The prospect of reciprocal measures was raised almost immediately — a factor that could potentially affect Americans including aid workers, tourists and business travelers. Iran’s Foreign Ministry, condemning Trump’s order, said Saturday that Iran “reserves the right of reciprocity,” official outlets reported.

Trump’s move could also dampen hopes for negotiating the release of U.S. citizens held in any of the affected countries. Several Americans of Iranian descent are imprisoned in Iran on spy charges.

King reported from Washington, Demick from New York and Hennessy-Fiske from Houston. Times staff writers Brian Bennett and Lisa Mascaro in Washington, Melissa Etehad and Kurtis Lee in Los Angeles, Tracy Lien in San Francisco, Shashank Bengali in Mumbai, India, and special correspondents Ramin Mostaghim in Tehran, Nabih Bulos in Beirut and Erik Kirschbaum in Berlin contributed to this report.

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ALSO

Unknown number of U.S. permanent residents stuck overseas as a result of Trump’s immigration ban

Outpouring of criticism over Trump’s refugee ban from Democrats in Congress as GOP stays silent

As Trump bans Syrian refugees, a look back at when California welcomed 50,000 displaced people

UPDATES:

10:35 p.m.: This story was updated with details from the Atlanta airport.

9:00 p.m.: This story was updated with additional details about the stay and another court ruling.

7:35 p.m.: This story was updated with a federal judge issuing an emergency stay.

3:18 p.m.: This story was updated with additional reaction from affected families and communities.

12:30 p.m.: This story was updated with additional reaction from officials and family members of those prevented from boarding flights.

10:25 a.m.: This story was updated with additional information from the Department of Homeland Security, and reaction from the high-tech industry and the government in Iran.

9:30 a.m.: This story was updated with additional comments from Arab American groups.

This story was originally published at 9:10 a.m.

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