Donald Trump signed an executive order to ban Muslim refugees and visa-holders from certain countries, entering the US.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, approximately 375 travellers have already been affected by the order: 109 were in transit when they were denied entry, and 173 were stopped by airlines before boarding.

His plans have hit a small snag after a federal judge from Brooklyn blocked a part of the president’s actions, preventing the government from deporting some arrivals to the country.

International condemnation

The UN was one of the swiftest to condemn the president’s ban, calling on the US to honour its “longstanding policy of welcoming refugees”.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country took in almost one million refugees in the height of the crisis in 2015, was also critical of Donald Trump’s decision, and argued that the battle against terrorism “does not justify a general suspicion against a people of a certain origin or a certain religion”.

She has confirmed that Germany will represent the interests of German citizens with double citizenship, if necessary, before that of America.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan also issued a statement, calling the ban “shameful and cruel”.

The Prime Minister met with Trump on Friday, and her response to the American president's decision was distinctly lacklustre...

Theresa May

On Saturday evening a spokesperson for Theresa May later explained, that although the "immigration policy in the United States is a matter for the government of the United States", the British government did "not agree with this kind of approach" and it is "not one we will be taking".

The clarification came after Conservative MP Nadhim Zahawi revealed he was subject to the ban, as he was born in Baghdad –despite being a British citizen.

In comparison, Justin Trudeau, prime minister of Canada offered this refuge to those 'fleeing terror & war'