Lawyers and attorneys have offered their services to refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries landing at airports across the United States, after Donald Trump issued a draft executive order on Wednesday that plans to temporarily bans refugees from entering the US.
As a number of vulnerable refugees who have been accepted for US resettlement board commercial flights for the United States, their fate when they land on US soil remains uncertain.
On Wednesday, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) called on attorneys to meet with refugees arriving at airports in Newark, Washington-Dulles, New York City, Los Angeles and Miami.
"No matter when an executive order is signed, refugees who have already departed will lose their admissibility while they are mid-air."
“We are seeking attorneys, immediately, who can go to the airports at which refugees are scheduled to enter the United States to support arriving refugees,” the call added.
The announcement was circulated across America’s network on lawyers, and was also picked up on social media.
Refugees arriving in U.S. soon - att'ys needed at airports ASAP to defend! https://t.co/6BTvvQC7Fj
— Sari Long (@Sari_Long) January 25, 2017
URGENT CALL for attorneys that can help protect refugees arriving at airports around the US. List of airports here https://t.co/Ntt6DOr1O3
— KingNoorLA (@KingNoorLA) January 25, 2017
Protect refugees arriving at airports. Urgent need for lawyers at Newark, Wash-Dulles, JFK, LAX, O'Hare, Miami.https://t.co/rn6xrcrb6J
— Amel Ahmed (@amelscript) January 26, 2017
Highlighting the wide-spread support for refugees and vulnerable people seeking asylum, hundreds of lawyers responded to IRAP, offering their services to protect those arriving in the US.
“Our urgent call earlier today has been met with an incredible response – hundreds of lawyers have signed up to help,” IRAP later posted.
Trump’s latest restriction on refugees comes as part of a eight-page document titled “Protecting the Nation from Terrorist Attacks by Foreign Nationals.” It would also halt all refugee admissions and resettlements from any country for the next four months, to allow for a review of vetting procedures.
Trump is expected to sign the order this week. It was not clear if the draft will be revised before then.
So far, it has been unofficially reported that refugees already in transit are quietly being granted entry. Yet, across America, lawyers remain ready to challenge the order and fight for the rights of those in seeking a safehaven in the US.
AM
