TU: Trump Travel Ban - Jacksonville leaders, residents respond

Florida Times-Union

http://jacksonville.com/news/2017-01-30/trump-travel-ban-jacksonville-leaders-residents-respond

Jacksonville leaders, residents respond to president’s Friday order

In the wake of President Donald Trump’s sweeping immigration executive order issued on Friday afternoon, people and institutions in Jacksonville have been scrambling to fully understand its implications.

Trump’s order suspends the refugee program for 120 days, bars Syrian refugees indefinitely and blocks entry into the United States for 90 days for citizens of seven primarily Muslim counties: Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

Organizations that work with refugees have felt the impact immediately, as they prepare to cut staff as a result of the U.S. taking fewer refugees. Newly arrived refugees try to make sense of the politics swirling around them. Jacksonville’s Syrian residents worry about their loved ones still living in the war-torn country. Colleges and universities are reaching out to their students and staff who are from the seven affected countries, reaffirming their support. Politicians have been quick to hail Trump’s order as necessary, or denounce it as un-American, depending on which side of the aisle they fall on.

Here is a recap of Monday’s events:

The People

Afghan interpreter, wife made it to Jacksonville four days before Trump’s order

Haidary Mohammad served the United States military for nine years, and if his flight to Jacksonville had been four days later, he wouldn’t have made it our of Afghanistan.

Mohammad, who just turned 27 this month, had translated for the Army for four years and for special forces for the last five. He moved all over the country to Forward-Operating Bases in four different provinces.

“I’ve been in lots of fights,” he said on Monday. “I’m lucky I’m alive.”

The soldiers called him “Waris,” pronounced just like “Juarez,” and he still goes by the nickname.

When he first started as a translator, he struggled to understand the slang, so a sergeant from Georgia gave him a bunch of films and told him to study American pop culture. He obliged.

His dad had told him to stay in Afghanistan. He was the oldest son, and he had a duty. But after a while, his face became famous from all his work with the troops. In 2014, he applied for refuge with America.

“I’m sure they will be looking at my family as well. If they find out, their life might be in danger too.” He hopes to bring his father and the rest of his family over here after he’s been in Jacksonville for a couple of years.

“It’ll be different from Afghanistan. I wanted to be reborn here, start a new life, start from, like, zero,” he said. “I was hoping everything was going well, and it is going well. I really appreciate World Relief organization. It helped me a lot right now, and I’m sure they’ll help me a lot in the future.”

Jacksonville’s Syrians worry about the far-reaching effects of Trump’s action

Jacksonville has a sizable Syrian population, going back generations. While many are Christian, Jacksonville’s Syrians say they are still concerned about the effects of Trump’s recent executive action.

Eighteen-year-old Julie Askar, originally from Zaidal, Syria, a small, predominantly Catholic town near Homs, received her United States citizenship a couple of months ago. Her family moved to the States when she was 12 so she and her sisters could have access to better education. Her dad was a successful engineer and it was before the war began, but Askar’s parents wanted the best for their girls.

Askar said most of her family is in Jacksonville, but she still has relatives who are trying to get to the United States. On Sunday, her great-aunt and great-uncle traveled to Jordan to try to get a visa, but were turned away.

“I was really sad to see they weren’t able to get their visa,” she said. “They’re very old.”

A first-cousin had gotten a Canadian visa, but was then told she could get a U.S. visa if she dropped the Canadian offer, and now Askar doesn’t know what will happen to this cousin. An aunt, who has dual United States and Syrian citizenship, is currently in Dubai and is worried about being able to return home.

Askar, a double-major in finance and accounting at the University of North Florida, said she is Catholic and her best friend is Muslim and Egyptian.

“To see how her people are being put out and how they’re talking about Muslims in such a horrible way just breaks my heart,” she said. “And to see them all labeled terrorists, it makes me go crazy because that’s not the way they really are.”

Fuad Shaban, 83, originally of Syria, said he left his country about four years ago. Even then, during his travel to America, he was treated differently. Airport officials moved him to a separate line. He wasn’t treated very gently, he said.

“All of this happened before recent events,” Shaban said. “These anti-Islam events were actually triggered by 9/11. I think it was emphasized too much and generalized too much, whereby Islam became associated with terrorism.”

Judat Yazigi, 23, is a graduate of Terry Parker High School and a chemistry major at UNF. His Christian family moved to Jacksonville from Syria when he was 3, and he became a U.S. citizen as a young teen. “It’s my home, basically,” he said.

He’s part of an extended Syrian family in Jacksonville: He has an aunt and a uncle in the city, as well as grandparents who recently arrived, after years of waiting, with green cards.

He said he’s looking at the president’s executive order from both sides, understanding the urge to protect America but also feeling sympathy for the “heart-breaking” stories he hears of refugees trying to reach safety.

“The moment we stop caring for each other,” Yazigi said, “regardless of race or religion, is the moment we’re not human.”

Iranian refugee living in Jacksonville worried about Christian friends still in Iran

Zahra Rahi, an Iranian Christian who found refuge in Jacksonville in 2014, is affected by Trump’s new immigration restrictions doubly. She’s hearing from friends worried they won’t make it here, and she’s lost her job at World Relief Jacksonville.

The 38-year-old fled Tehran after she faced persecution for her beliefs, and she petitioned the United Nations for refugee status, hoping that America would take her in.

She said it’s “God’s miracle” that her process went so smoothly, but her friends in similar situations aren’t experience the same fortune.

“I have friends who are so worried about this situation because they cannot come into the country,” Rahi said. “They’re stuck over there. They are in process, some of them. They are not yet refugees. They are not accepted.”

She works at World Relief Jacksonville, and because it has to lay off as many as 17 of its 24 employees due to new caps on the number of refugees, she will have to find a new job.

Iraqi refugees who served U.S. military have flights to Jacksonville canceled

Two Iraqi refugees who served as U.S. military translators had their flights to Jacksonville canceled as a result of Trump’s executive action on immigration, according to Travis Trice of World Relief Jacksonville.

“Their lives are in jeopardy,” Trice said. “They will be killed if we can’t protect them by giving them what we promised them.”

World Relief Jacksonville, which helps to resettle refugees in Jacksonville, will be laying off at least half its staff in light of the president’s new limits on refugees.

“We budgeted in staff for 110,000 [refugees] because that’s what the Obama administration told us,” said Trice said. “We always expected change, but we didn’t expect it this radical, this soon.”

The president’s new order reduces the number of refugees to 50,000, and with the fiscal year half over and about 25,000 refugees already arriving, that means the country will take in fewer than half the expected refugees for the rest of the year.

“We’re doing layoffs directly because of the order,” Trice said. “Fifty percent or more is going to be gone. We’re still figuring it out, honestly. It’s not just us. I think it’s every resettlement agency, unless they can find millions of dollars to support them.”

Of the 24 staff at the local office, he said somewhere between 12 and 17 will be laid off.

The Politics

DeSantis: Trump is “right to be concerned”

U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, a Republican representing Florida’s Sixth District, including St. Johns County, expressed his support for President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration in a Facebook post on Monday.

In it, DeSantis said defending Americans against “the threat of radical Islamic terrorism is a central responsibility” of the government and “it is clear that our national policies need to be reformed to better discharge this duty.”

DeSantis points to attacks carried out at Ohio State University, in St. Cloud, Minn., and an attempt in Houston highlight the need for more vetting of refugees.

“It is incumbent upon the federal government to undertake adequate vetting so that those who seek to do Americans harm are not permitted to enter the United States, especially when foreigners seek to come to the United States from nations that sponsor terrorism or are hotbeds of Islamic radicalism,” he wrote. “President Trump is right to be concerned about this and I hope that, during the 90 day period outlined in the President’s executive order, the administration develops policies that will better protect the American people from this potent threat.”

Sen. Nelson to Trump: Your order “may do more harm than good”

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson today followed up on his Sunday statement about Trump’s order with a strongly worded letter to the White House. The letter reads:

“Dear Mr. President:

I write to express my concern with your recent Executive Order, ‘Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States.’ Regardless of the constitutionality or legality of this Executive Order, I am deeply concerned that it may do more harm than good in our fight to keep America safe.

Defeating the diabolical threat of terrorism is imperative to our national security. Our military and intelligence professionals are engaged around the world in the fight against terrorist groups like ISIS. Our success in this fight, both at home and abroad, depends on the cooperation and assistance of Muslims who reject radicalism and violence. Whether intended or not, this Executive Order risks alienating the very people we rely upon in the fight against terror.

Over the weekend, numerous people were detained at U.S. ports of entry, including an Iraqi interpreter who served alongside our troops. When we promise sanctuary to individuals who risk their lives assisting U.S. forces in the fight against terrorism, it is both unfair and counterproductive to turn them away at our shores.

While we must do everything in our power to protect the United States, I am concerned this Executive Order will only undermine our counterterrorism efforts. I urge you to develop policy that keeps America safe, builds trust with our partners, and demonstrates compassion to those who need our help.”

Nelson copied Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, Central Intelligence Agency and National Intelligence on the letter.

Curry cites terrorists “who want to kill us” in supporting Trump’s actions

Mayor Lenny Curry, who leads the U.S. city with the sixth-largest Syrian and eighth-largest Iraqi populations, says he supports President Donald Trump’s new immigration and travel restrictions.

Though a spokesperson, Curry issued a brief statement, saying terrorists “in other countries who want to kill us” have “leveraged a weak vetting system to do so.”

“We promised in the aftermath of 9/11 that we would never forget. It seems like some critics may have forgotten,” Curry said. “The administration’s intent is to keep the United States and our people safe. That intention is clear. That intention is worthy.

“I will work with the Trump administration and law enforcement to see that legal residents and those who follow the rules have an opportunity to thrive in our nation.”

Curry, who a year and a half ago wrote a letter in support of a ban on Syrian refugees, today also told Florida Politics that “when the federal government moves to protect [American citizens], that’s the right move.” He also blamed any “problematic” issues like barring permanent residents from re-entry on bureaucracy and not on Trump’s intent, even though Trump’s top aides specifically said green-card holders would be banned.

About 10 percent of Jacksonville’s population is foreign born, according to the Census Bureau’s 2015 American Community Survey. Just under half of those are not U.S. citizens. International migration between 2010 and 2015, according to the Census Bureau, brought 18,000 new people to Duval County. They made up 37 percent of the county’s net growth.

More: Jacksonville protest of President Trump’s immigration ban scheduled for Tuesday

U.S. Rep. John Rutherford issued a brief statement through a spokesperson: “The United States has been and will continue to be a nation of immigrants that welcomes people from around the world that love this land. But we must protect our citizens first and foremost by ensuring that we keep would-be terrorists from exploiting our visa and refugee programs. I support increased vetting of travelers from countries that are known sponsors and harbors of terrorism, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to strengthen our vetting of foreign travelers.”

He said he would work with colleagues in Congress to strengthen vetting, though he didn’t give specifics.

U.S. Rep. Al Lawson, a Democrat, said Trump’s order “goes against everything this country stands for” and “dishonors our values” while disputing the country.

“I can think of few things more un-American than discriminating against people seeking refuge on our shores because of their religion,” he said in a statement emailed Monday afternoon. “This action betrays who we are as a country. Keeping the American people safe from threats from abroad is very important to me but targeting an entire religion is completely misguided and irresponsible.”

Lawson said he would work toward “smart action” that protects borders without violating religious freedom or American values.

Rep. Ted Yoho of Clay County hasn’t yet responded to requests for comment sent to his staff.

Senators Bill Nelson, Marco Rubio react to President Trump’s immigration restrictions

Florida’s U.S. senators have issued statements in response to President Trump’s hastily enacted executive order creating new immigration restrictions for those from seven predominantly Muslim countries as well as a 120-day ban on new refugees entering the U.S.

In a brief, emailed statement to the media on Sunday, Nelson, a Democrat, said, “We have to do everything we can to protect ourselves from those who want to do us harm, but a hastily-issued policy that bans everyone from one of these seven countries from entering the U.S. – including the Iraqi interpreters who served alongside our troops in Iraq – is not the answer.”

Rubio also released a statement Sunday night. In a Facebook post written in conjunction with fellow Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, Rubio began by saying “some of what is being said and reported about the scope and implications of these measures is misleading.”

The post went on to say that while the senators “generally support” additional vetting for those entering the United States, but “given the broad scope and nature of these policy changes, we have some unanswered questions and concerns.”

“We are seeking clarity on the changes to the Visa Waiver program, which is critical to the economies of our respective states,” they wrote. “And we are uneasy about the potential impact of these measures on our military and our diplomatic personnel abroad, as well as those who put their lives on the line to work with us.”

The Scholars

FSCJ says 92 students from seven countries with restricted travel

Florida State College at Jacksonville says 92 of its are from the seven countries restricted under President Donald Trump’s new immigration and travel restrictions.

According to a FSCJ spokeswoman, there are four students with H1-B visas, the visa used by foreign workers, from Yemen, Syria and Iran. Another 88 are refugees from Iraq, Iran, Syria and Sudan.

All international students and employees received an email from the college, reaffirming its support of them.

“As these discussions continue across our nation’s political and media platforms, I want to assure you that FSCJ respects and values every single student, faculty member and employee that collectively make up our great institution,” the email said. “As our mission reads, we are here to provide high value, relevant life-long education that enhances the intellectual, social, cultural and economic development of our diverse community. You are part of that community. We exist to serve all who wish to pursue a higher education, no matter your gender, race, nationality, belief, orientation, culture or identity.

It continued: ”I hope you find comfort in remembering the importance and respect we as an institution have for everyone who is a part of our College and know that we remain committed to your complete success and welfare, both at FSCJ and in your personal life,” the email to students said. “Should you have questions or concerns, the College is here to offer our support and guidance.”

The Times-Union has also reached out to St. Johns River State College and Edward Waters College. Reactions from the University of Florida, Florida State University, Jacksonville University and the University of North Florida can be found below.

Jacksonville University urges affected students not to travel outside U.S.

Jacksonville University is reaching out to all of its students, faculty and staff who may be affected by Trump’s executive order banning travel from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days.

“Our international students, faculty and staff are valued members of our University community,” Jacksonville University President Tim Cost said in an email to faculty and staff. “We are continuing to monitor this highly evolving situation and will keep the University community updated as more information becomes available.”

In all, the university believes fewer than 10 students are citizens of the seven countries, and it is advising them to defer travel outside of the U.S. for the time being, according to a statement sent to the news media.

Any students with questions related to the order should contact JU’s International Student Services Office.

University of North Florida says 2 students from Syria, 1 from Iran impacted by executive order

The University of North Florida said three of its students could be impacted by Trump’s executive action on travel restrictions to seven predominantly Muslim countries.

Tim Robinson, the college’s international center director, said three have student visas, and he would tell them to check in with the international center before planning any travel.

Two UNF students are from Syria, and one is from Iran. None are currently overseas. Due to federal law, UNF is not naming those students.

Academic institutions across the country are impacted by the restrictions, as many have students and employees from the restricted countries. The University of Florida and Florida State University have advised those in their communities who are impacted not to leave the country at this time.

UF, FSU urging students, employees from seven restricted countries not to leave U.S.

The University of Florida and Florida State University are urging members of their communities from the seven predominantly Muslim countries impacted by President Trump’s executive order restricting travel not to leave the United States at this time.

In a statement on Facebook, University of Florida President W. Kent Fuchs affirmed “our support for our international students, faculty and staff.”

The university estimated about 200 students and employees are from the seven countries addressed in the executive order, and urged them not to travel outside of the U.S. in the immediate future.

“We are committed to the rights and opportunities enjoyed by all members of our university, including those who are citizens of other countries,” Fuchs wrote. “Embracing all members of our community and maintaining a welcoming environment for talented students and faculty from around the world are central to our values and identity as a university. It is also critical to excellence in education, research, economic development and other contributions to society.”

Florida State University President John Thrasher said in a statement that he is “deeply concerned” about the policy.

“At universities nationwide, confusion and uncertainty are causing disruption and worry among students, researchers, faculty and staff who are citizens of the countries involved in the ban, as well as their colleagues and friends,” he wrote, urging those from the impacted countries not to leave the country at this time.

“We all know that our university has long been enriched and strengthened by the cultural and intellectual diversity these scholars contribute,” Thrasher wrote. “We appreciate them, and their safety and security will be our highest priority.”

The Community

Florida Coastal School of Law, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid to team up for program about executive order

Through mid-afternoon Monday, the Immigrant and Human Rights Clinic at Florida Coastal School of Law had fielded 17 emails and phone calls from Jacksonville area residents scrambling to figure out how President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration would affect them, said clinic director Ericka Curran.

“People are very nervous,” Curran said. “In the calls we’ve gotten, people are afraid and frustrated.”

She said the law school is teaming up with Jacksonville Area Legal Aid to have a program at noon Saturday at the law school about the executive order and its ramifications.

“Hopefully, we’ll know more by Saturday because things over the weekend seemed to be changing by the minute, especially with all the confusion at the airports,” she said.

She called the executive order a “rash decision” that was poorly administered. She said it hit home in Jacksonville because the area has a sizable community of people who came here from Iraq, which is one of the seven countries listed on the order.

She said until the dust settles, she advises people who have connections to the seven countries to err on the side of caution and not travel outside of the United States so they don’t’ run the risk of being turned away when they try to return.

She said the other impact is for Jacksonville area residents awaiting the arrival of their children or spouses from overseas. She said that’s a life-and-death situation.

“When people are not processed through the refugee system, they’re still in situations of high risk,” she said. “If you have family members that you left behind, they could be in a dangerous situation and you’re trying to get them out. I think there is a real risk, particularly for Syrians, of people not surviving, especially women and children.”

International travel critical to Jacksonville’s Mayo Clinic

Dr. John Noseworthy, president and CEO of the Mayo Clinic, said in a statement that his organization remains steadfast in supporting its patients, staff, families and communities in the wake of President Trump’s executive order on immigration.

“Each year, we welcome thousands of visitors from across the globe, many of whom receive care from our incredibly talented and diverse team members,” Noseworthy said in the statement. “We value our international staff and partners, and are privileged to train a broad range of medical personnel from around the world. Mayo Clinic is a place of compassion, respect and trust, and our collective diversity helps make us the best place to work and receive care.”

The clinic, which has a campus in Jacksonville, is monitoring the situation and exploring ways to ensure the needs of its patients and staff are met.

According to a statement from Dr. Gianrico Farrugia, CEO of Mayo Clinic’s Jacksonville campus, said no patients at the Jacksonville campus are affected by the restrictions. A total of 80 staff from all three campuses, however, have ties to the seven countries in the executive order.

“A number of Mayo Clinic staff and trainees have expressed concern about the potential impact this order may have on their future plans, and we are working to more fully assess and advise on these concerns in a rapidly changing legal environment,” Farrugia said.

Jacksonville residents make their opposition to Trump’s travel restrictions known at Nelson, Rubio offices

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s legislative staff at his Jacksonville office met Monday with constituents who called on him to support legislation that would overturn Trump’s executive order on immigration.

Jacksonville resident Robert Cohen said Trump’s order is a “solution for a problem that doesn’t exist. It is important to maintain security of our borders and properly vet immigrants as they come into the country, but there is no evidence that any of the people who will be affected by this ban pose a security threat.”

Cohen said the executive order troubles him because as a Jew, he knows the struggle Jewish people historically faced as immigrants.

“We are concerned about this ban from a social justice standpoint and from a common sense standpoint, but also because we’ve been there and we know how wrong this can be and how painful this can be,” Cohen said.

Cohen was among a group of three Jacksonville area constituents who met with Nelson’s staff in downtown. Soon after, a separate group of six constituents arrived to make a similar appeal after making a stop earlier at U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio’s office in Jacksonville.

In addition to opposing Trump’s executive order, the residents urged Nelson to oppose confirmation of several Trump nominees for Cabinet posts.

Organizers plan Jacksonville protest of Trump immigration ban

A protest will take place outside the Duval County Courthouse at 4 p.m. Tuesday as the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition aims to show its outrage at Trump’s recent executive order regarding refugees and immigration.

“No Human is Illegal” shows more than 80 people plan to attend the event, and more than 300 are interested in attending, according to the Facebook event.

“We want to show support to all our brothers and sisters from Middle Eastern countries and let them know we will not stand by while they are persecuted,” according to the event’s details. “Let’s all stand together as one voice as we take a stand against this tyranny. We understand love is what makes America great.”

Catholic Charities: Migrants, refugees deserve our respect, compassion

Anita Hassell, chief executive officer of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Augustine, said on Monday the charity is standing by its commitment to “welcome and assist the stranger to our land.”

“We believe all people are made in the image and likeness of God. All people – including migrants and refugees – deserve our respect and compassion,” Hassell said in a statement emailed to the news media.

Hassell quoted Pope Francis, who said: “In recent centuries, millions of people came to this land to pursue their dream of building a future in freedom. We, the people of this continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners. I say this to you as the son of immigrants, knowing that so many of you are also descended from immigrants.”

Hassell said Catholic Charities stands in solidarity with “all migrants and refugees of good will, and call the public’s attention to their situation, their dreams and their God-given human dignity.”

See how local officials have responded to the recent travel bans here

Staff Writers Steve Patterson and Amanda Williamson contributed to this report.

on Friday afternoon, people and institutions in Jacksonville have been scrambling to fully understand its implications.