President Trump’s refugee ban affecting local Muslims

President Donald Trump’s executive order to bar refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries from coming to the United States is affecting families in the Borderland.

Those countries include: Syria, Libya, Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Yemen and Somalia.

Dr. Sulaiman Abu Shagur is an American citizen who was born in Libya. He said the news hit him hard.

“I was shocked because I really love the Constitution of this country,” Abu Shagur said. “When they talk about freedom of religion, freedom of speech — the whole Bill of Rights — this is what made this country big.”

Abu Shagur’s wife is from Syria. She declined to be interviewed because Abu Shagur said she was too sad.

“I cannot see my family, and she cannot see her family. My wife is really nervous — to the point she’s going to cry,” Abu Shagur said. “When you tell a lady you cannot see her mother or her brothers, and they cannot visit you — you’re really, as if, putting that person in prison.”

Abu Shagur said he has a 3-year-old niece in Libya that he’s never met. He worries that he will only ever see photos of her.

“All my family is there. It’s a burden on everybody,” Abu Shagur said.

Zahra Ahmed is an El Pasoan Muslim of Iraqi descent who chooses to wear a hijab. She said she’s been discriminated against because of it.

“My sister and I were referred to as ‘the terrorist sisters’ in our college,” Ahmed said. “The other day somebody had screamed profanities at me and told me to go home. This is my home.”

Ahmed’s family is also being affected by Trump’s executive order.

“My sister’s husband is from Iraq and is a green card holder. His mother was supposed to come visit to see her grandchildren for the very first time,” Ahmed said. “Now she can’t do that.” Ahmed created a Facebook page called “Muslims of El Paso and Friends.” She said the goal is to bring the Muslim community closer together, and to educate allies. “This is not just a Muslim community issue,” Ahmed said. “It’s larger than that. It’s an American issue that we need to work on together.”