International students, dual citizens dealing with Trump's 'terrifying' travel ban

People in Newfoundland and Labrador from some of the seven countries now under U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban say Friday's executive order has left them upset and confused.

Sabreen Mowla Ali is an Iraqi-Canadian, now living in St. John's after being granted political asylum in 1999.  

"It's very personal for me to receive this kind of news," said Mowla Ali.

"That based on your place of birth you will now no longer be welcomed in a particular part of the world."

She said the travel ban has led to confusion across the United States and Canada.

"The travel ban now created a lot of chaos because it wasn't clear," Mowla Ali told CBC Radio's St. John's Morning Show.

"Even the border control officers in the U.S. didn't know what to tell people."

Mowla Ali, who earned a master's degree in employment relations at Memorial University, now works for an airline and frequently travels to the United States.

She said she's not sure how the travel ban will impact her career.

"I'm personally apprehensive," said Mowla Ali, who considers herself lucky that she wasn't traveling when the ban took effect.

'Draconian measures'

The Prime Minister's Office has clarified that dual citizens from Canada will not be impacted by the travel ban, but Mowla Ali said she's still cautious about travelling to the United States.

• Canadian dual citizens can travel freely to the U.S. despite Trump travel ban
• Trump's travel ban sparks mass confusion as conflicting details emerge

She said she expected "some draconian measures" when Trump was elected, but nothing like this.

"We didn't expect it's going to be this quick and this bad."

Show of support

Memorial University has announced it will waive application fees from prospective students in the United States and the seven banned countries.

The university said the ban affects international students, academic conferences, and the family relationships of people within the university community.

"Iranian students here, they love Canada," said Elaha Nezhadhossein, a board member with MUN's Iranian Student Association.

"They think of this country as one of the most secure and peaceful multicultural countries that they can pursue their studies and dream jobs."

Nezhadhossein said there are about 200 members of the association studying at Memorial, and the travel ban is a major concern.

"It's about blanket order that bans people with nothing more than personal religious background," said Nezhadhossein.

"Most of us, our graduate students, need to participate in conferences and do field research over there in the U.S."

Nezhadhossein said she had made plans to visit a friend living in the states who is about to give birth, but has now put the trip on hold.