Sputnik News- Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani female education activist, and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, have expressed their reactions to US President Donald Trumps new ban on allowing people from seven Muslim countries to enter the US.
Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani-born female activist who wrote a blog forBBC abouta life underTaliban rule when she was 11 and is the youngest person ever toreceive a Nobel Peace Prize, expressed concern aboutexecutive order that will ban entry forpeople fromSyria and six other countries tothe US ina post onher Malala Fund's Facebook page.
"I am heartbroken that today President Trump is closing the door onchildren, mothers and fathers fleeing violence and war," Malala said inher statement. "I am heartbroken that America is turning its back ona proud history ofwelcoming refugees and immigrants the people who helped build your country, ready towork hard inexchange fora fair chance ata new life."
"I am heartbroken that Syrian refugee children, who have suffered throughsix years ofwar byno fault oftheir own, are singled-out fordiscrimination," shewrote.
Zuckerberg, the CEO ofthe social media giant, was more reserved inhis reaction.
"The United States is a nation ofimmigrants, and we should be proud ofthat," he wrote inhis Facebook post.
"We should also keep our doors open torefugees and those who need help. That's who we are. Had we turned away refugees a few decades ago, Priscilla's family wouldn't be here today," he wrote, referring toPriscilla Chan, his wife.
However, Zuckerberg noted some positive reactions toTrump's policies.
"I'm glad the President believes our country should continue tobenefit from people ofgreat talent coming intothe country,'" he wrote. "I was glad tohear President Trump say he's going to "work something out" forimmigrants who were brought tothis country ata young age bytheir parents."
According toZuckerberg, currently about750,000 young migrants benefit fromthe Deferred Action forChildhood Arrivals (DACA), a program that allows them tolive and work legally inthe US.
The bans, enacted byexecutive order byTrump January 27, indefinitely suspends the US program toaccept Syrian refugees and temporarily bans entry tothe US ofnationals frompredominantly Muslim Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, even if they hold valid visas or green cards, insome cases. Christians and other members ofminority religions fromthose countries are totake priority inimmigration processes, the new regulations state.