ICRC insists on non-discrimination toward refugees in wake of Trump’s entry ban

  31 January 2017    Read: 1343
ICRC insists on non-discrimination toward refugees in wake of Trump’s entry ban
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) insists on the need to respect the principle of non-discrimination in the international refugee law in wake of US President Donald Trump’s refugee program suspension and ban on arrivals from seven Muslim countries, an ICRC spokesperson for Americas told Sputnik Tuesday.
On January 27, Trump signed an executive order "Protecting The Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into The United States," which blocks the admission of all refugees to the United States for four months and bans arrivals of all nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for three months. The entry for refugees from Syria was suspended for an undefined period.

"It is the sovereign right of all states to decide who can legally enter their territory. However, such consideration must respect international legal obligations, including in international refugee law, the principle of non-discrimination," the spokesperson said.

While ICRC does not interfere in or comment publicly on national policies of refugee resettlement, the organization sometimes discusses with states international legal obligations relating to refugees, the spokesperson specified.

"The principle of non-refoulement must also be respected at all times, meaning that a state planning to return a person must assess on an individual basis whether that person would be in danger of a violation of their rights and must cease from transferring a person where there is a real risk that person may face violations of fundamental rights," the spokesperson added.

Trump’s travel ban, aiming to boost the country`s security, has sparked controversy around the world and led to multiple protests in the United States.

At the same time, a poll by Rasmussen Reports revealed on Monday that over a half of US citizens (56 percent) support Trump’s decision to partially curb immigration until the government finds better ways to keep out potential terrorists.

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