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Donald Trump supporters are asking why everyone's all mad about his unprecedented Muslim ban - because Barack Obama and Jimmy Carter both did the same thing.

Except they didn't.

While it's true both Presidents put restrictions on visas during their respective presidencies, there's a world of difference between what they did and what Donald Trump is doing now.

But it hasn't stopped a string of people claiming previous leaders did the same thing and nobody called them fascists.

Here's a list of the similarities - and a much longer list of differences between the controls Obama used in 2011 and Carter used in 1979.

What Donald Trump is doing (2017)

Ban entry to the US for people born in seven majority Muslim countries - Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen - including holders of legal green cards and visas - for 90 days

for people born in seven majority Muslim countries - Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen - including holders of legal green cards and visas - for 90 days Suspending the Syrian refugee plan indefinitely

Suspending entire refugee plan for 120 days

for 120 days Bans entry to the US for dual-nationality passport holders - meaning citizens of the above countries who also hold, for example, a British passport, are also banned for 90 days.

meaning citizens of the above countries who also hold, for example, a British passport, are also banned for 90 days. Prioritise Christian refugees over Muslims

Capped refugee total to 50,000

Did it out of the blue

Trump came up with his Muslim ban following the Orlando nightclub shooting, an attack committed not by refugees or migrants, but by a US citizen who was born in New York.

Trump came up with his Muslim ban following the Orlando nightclub shooting, an attack committed not by refugees or migrants, but by a US citizen who was born in New York. Of all the fatal terror attacks carried out on US soil since 9/11, exactly zero have been committed by immigrants from the seven majority Muslim countries targeted by the ban

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What Barack Obama did (2011)

(Image: Reuters)

Paused approvals of refugee applications from Iraq for a period of six months after two Iraqi al-Qaeda terrorists were discovered living as refugees in Kentucky.

What he didn't do

Base it on religion

Obama's order - which was done with very little fanfare - selected Iraqi nationals based on geography and a specific event, not religion.

Obama's order - which was done with very little fanfare - selected Iraqi nationals based on geography and a specific event, not religion. Do it out of the blue

It was done in response to a specific event, and to allow FBI agents enough to gather fingerprints from captured roadside bombs, which they used to toughen their refugee screening process

What Jimmy Carter did (1979)

(Image: Reuters)

Placed sanctions on Iran after they held 52 American diplomats hostage for 444 days

The sanctions included a block on all future visas issued to Iranian citizens

What he didn't do

Base it on religion

The block was targeted at Iranian nationals, not Muslims

Do it out of the blue

Carter's sanctions were the culmination of a long-running escalation of tensions between the US and Iran.