UN urges US to continue 'long tradition' of welcoming refugees

The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Saturday urged the United States to continue its "long tradition" of accepting asylum seekers, after newly-minted President Donald Trump signed a sweeping new decree to suspend refugee arrivals and impose tough new controls on travelers from seven Muslim countries.


"The needs of refugees and migrants worldwide have never been greater and the US resettlement program is one of the most important in the world," the two Geneva-based agencies said in a joint statement.

Making good on one of his most controversial campaign promises, and to the horror of human rights groups, Trump's executive order suspends the entire US refugee resettlement program for at least 120 days while tough new vetting rules are established.

Trump said the order, entitles "Protection of the nation from foreign terrorist entry into the United States", would make America safe from "radical Islamic terrorists".
 [elethos.gr/kaos.gr/AFP]
28/1/17