A mid-west based human rights group is ready to assist any persons refused travel from Shannon Airport as a result of US President Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban.
President Trump signed an order which could see people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen travelling to the US via Ireland being detained and prevented from travelling.
Doras Luimní has confirmed they have been in contact with authorities at the mid-west airport to offer support to any passengers who may affected by the ban.
Director Leonie Kerins said: “We have been in contact with the authorities at Shannon Airport and they informed us that, as yet, there are no persons there affected by the ban. We have informed the airport that we are happy to assist anyone who may be affected and can do so by providing legal information and advice on immigration.”
“If a person is transiting through Ireland to fly on-ward to the USA, we could assist in their application for a temporary visa to remain in Ireland until they are allowed to travel either on-wards to the USA or back to where they came from. We will support anyone who this ban applies to and in whatever way we can,” Ms Kerins confirmed.
“We are very worried by these developments and hope that President Trump comes to understand that the ban is unreasonable,” she added.
Meanwhile, Irish peace and anti-racism groups have joined together to denounce the implementation of a US Immigration ban on Muslims at pre-clearance facilities in Dublin and Shannon airports.
John Lannon of Shannonwatch said: “Shannon and Dublin’s complicity in allowing the US to deny entry to approved refugees, asylum seekers, visa holders and even US legal residents is shocking. We call on Taoiseach Enda Kenny to express Ireland’s revulsion at the bans imposed by President Trump, and to ensure that the Irish airport authorities and Gardai do not facilitate this unjust and discriminatory order in any way.”
“The fact that people could now be barred from planes at Shannon because of their religion or country of origin is in stark contrast to the fact that CIA torturers and US military personnel linked to war crimes have been allowed to pass through the same airport unimpeded,” said Lannon.
Peace and Neutrality Alliance and Veterans for Peace spokesman Edward Horgan said: “It would now be appropriate for an Taoiseach to sign an “executive order” to ban US military flights from Shannon with immediate effect.”
“US military cargo planes, troop carriers and refuellers are being allowed to come and go at Shannon, while people fleeing from the wars they are fuelling are being denied entry into the US at Shannon and Dublin. This is indefensible in a country that claims to be neutral and to respect human rights,” Mr Horgan added.
Coordinator of Galway One World Centre Vicky Donnelly said: “Any cooperation with this racist and surely illegal ban only adds to the shame felt by many people in this region at our complicity with US militarism at Shannon, and it must be resisted.”
The Director of the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) Ireland also weight in on the controversy.
Shane O’Curry said: “We have an opportunity now to disrupt a project that is about creating division and conflict. We must seize that opportunity and send a clear message to Trump that Ireland is not for colluding in the politics of fear, division and hate.”
A protect at the US Embassy in Dublin is being organised for next Thursday, February 2nd by United Against Racism.
Group spokesman Memet Uludag said: “As the rallies last week across the world showed, there is massive international anger towards Trump’s racist, sexist policies. We stand in solidarity with Muslims, migrants and refugees who are banned from travelling to the US. We also extend our solidarity to the thousands of people protesting at more than ten US airports.”