German, British leaders oppose Trump's travel ban

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Sunday, January 29, 2017
German, British leaders oppose Trump's travel ban
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May have criticized Trump's travel ban.

- The Latest on U.S. President Donald Trump and his ban on refugees from Muslim-majority countries (all times local):

5:10 a.m.

A spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel says the German leader believes the Trump administration's travel ban on people from some Muslim-majority countries is wrong.

Germany's dpa news agency quoted Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert saying Sunday that "she is convinced that even the necessary, resolute fight against terrorism doesn't justify putting people of a particular origin or particular faith under general suspicion."

Merkel and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone Saturday for the first time since his inauguration. A joint U.S.-German statement following the call made no mention of the topic of refugees or travel bans.

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4 a.m.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has criticized President Donald Trump's order temporarily banning refugees from entering the United States.

Her official spokesman said Sunday that May does "not agree" with Trump's order and will challenge the US government if it has an adverse effect on British nationals.

The official comment came after May refused to condemn the ban during a visit to Turkey to meet with Turkish leaders. She said in Turkey the decision was a matter solely for the United States.

After she returned to Britain from a whirlwind visit to Washington, where she met Trump at the White House, and Turkey, her spokesman said Britain did not approve of Trump's policy.

The British government is studying the order to gauge its impact on British nationals.

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3 a.m.

The Homeland Security Department says a New York court order temporarily barring the U.S. from deporting people from nations subject to President Donald Trump's travel ban will not affect the overall implementation of the White House executive action.

The agency said the court order affected a relatively small number of travelers who were inconvenienced by security procedures upon their return.

The department's statement said: "President Trump's Executive Orders remain in place- prohibited travel will remain prohibited, and the U.S. government retains its right to revoke visas at any time if required for national security or public safety," according to the DHS statement.

Stephen Miller, a senior adviser to the White House, said that nothing in the judge's order "in anyway impedes or prevents the implementation of the president's executive order which remains in full, complete and total effect."