People with Canadian passports can travel to the U.S. even if they are dual citizens of the seven countries targeted by President Donald Trump’s temporary ban on immigration, the U.S. government said at a Washington press conference Tuesday.

“Travellers will be assessed at our border based on the passport they present, not any dual-national status,” said Kevin McAleenan, acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

“So if you’re a citizen of the United Kingdom, (and) you present your United Kingdom passport, the executive order does not apply to you.”

After more than three days of confusion, it was the first official confirmation that Canadian dual citizens would not be affected by the ban.

The Canadian government had previously received a private promise from Trump’s national security adviser, Michael Flynn, but nothing in writing.

McAleenan did not immediately say anything about permanent residents of Canada who do not have Canadian passports.

The Canadian government, however, says it has also been assured that these people can travel to the U.S. as normal.

The word from Washington came just hours ahead of an emergency debate in Parliament on the fallout from the U.S. travel ban.

Last Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that banned incoming refugees and blocked immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries — Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Syria and Libya — for 90 days.

The order spurred confusion about who would be allowed into the U.S. as well as protests in several cities, and calls from the Opposition for the Canadian government to bluntly condemn the president’s immigration and refugee order.

“There is no question that this ban promotes hate and intolerance,” said Jenny Kwan, an NDP MP from Vancouver, outside the House of Commons on Tuesday.

“I never imagined, in my entire life, that I would witness a democratic country, much less our closest ally and our neighbour next door that would come forward with a ban that is based on race, religion and your place of birth.”

The NDP pushed the Liberals on Tuesday to assume moral leadership by accepting more refugees and scrapping the Safe Third Country Agreement with the U.S.

The 2004 deal prohibits refugees that land in the U.S. from applying for asylum in Canada.

Speaking to reporters following Tuesday’s cabinet meeting in Ottawa, immigration minister Ahmed Hussen said, at this point, Canada isn’t prepared to adjust its refugee policies in the face of Trump’s ban.

“This is an evolving situation,” said Hussen, referring to news he had received that 850 refugees, who had been approved for settlement in the U.S. immediately before the ban, would be allowed into the country.

“The responsible thing to do is maintain contact, continue to engage and make sure that we monitor the situation closely and make sure that we provide information to Canadians, which we have done,” he said.

Public safety minister Ralph Goodale defended Canada’s refugee policy as “enormously successful,” and said promoting this country’s values of openness and generosity must go hand-in-hand with maintaining a positive relationship with the U.S.

“Our policy is strong and clear, and we stand for those values and virtues in the world,” Goodale said. “We stand for Canada.”

Alongside Kwan, the NDP’s foreign affairs critic, Hélène Laverdière, called on the Liberal government to lift the cap on refugees sponsored by private groups, and fast-track the acceptance of refugees whose applications in the U.S. were approved or nearing completion before Trump’s ban was imposed.

Laverdière couldn’t say how many more refugees she would like Canada to take; it’s up to the government to work with partner countries to determine how to fill the gap left by the U.S. ban, she said.

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The NDP also wants the government to scrap the Safe Third Country Agreement with the U.S.

“We can no longer have confidence that refugees are welcome there,” said Kwan.

With files from Alex Boutilier

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