President Donald Trump’s executive order temporarily banning refugees and immigrants from certain countries is creating mixed emotions in Omaha.
Many in the Islam community in Omaha are scrambling to figure out if they or their loved ones are allowed in the U.S. following Trump’s order.
"The executive order that was issued did come as a surprise,” said Ajmal Syed of the Islamic Center of Omaha. "A lot of people are severely impacted who travel abroad, who have relatives, families.”
Trump signed the executive order Friday night. It bars refugees from coming into the U.S. for 120 days and stops immigrants from seven countries from entering for 3 months. The countries affected are Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen, and Somalia.
The temporary travel ban affects green card holders and those with valid visas.
"Seems to be very much a target on Muslims," Syed said.
Supporters of the order say it’s necessary. Doug Kagan, president of the conservative group Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom, also says he's supportive of extending the temporary ban until Trump's team feels confident in the vetting process.
"It’s entirely in the interest of public safety and national security," Kagan said. "If the administration believes that they don't have a good enough vetting process in place available because of the difficulty getting background checks on these would-be immigrants, then our group would be in favor of extending the ban indefinitely."
In the meantime, the Islamic community - and other international groups - says they're left waiting to see what happens next.
"It just makes everybody nervous," Syed said.
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts is defending Trump's order to temporarily suspend immigration for citizens from seven majority Muslim countries.
Ricketts acknowledged Monday that the decision was disruptive for travelers from those countries but argued that it could help the United States avoid the problem of terrorists entering the country by claiming to be refugees.
Ricketts says the federal government should move quickly to put a new vetting process in place so immigration can resume.
He also is urging Nebraska residents who are concerned to get involved with the state's three resettlement agencies: Catholic Social Services, Lutheran Family Services and the Refugee Empowerment Center.
