SINGAPORE – An American sales operations director here and his Iraqi-born wife are among those dealing with uncertainty following a controversial order restricting travel into the United States on Friday.
On Friday (Jan 27) President Donald Trump signed an executive order restricting people from seven Muslim-majority countries – Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen – from entering the United States.
The order sparked protests at several airports in the United States, even as reports of Muslim travellers being detained at airports across the country emerged.
On his Facebook page Randy Olsen, 39, said he had been planning to relocate back to the United States next month (Feb) with his wife and their two-year-old daughter when he read the news about the order on Friday. As of Sunday evening (Jan 29) the post had been shared more than 500 times on the social network.
His wife, Iraqi-born National University of Singapore research fellow Zaineb Al-Qazwini, received her green card – a document that allows permanent residence in the United States – last month (Dec) after a two-year process.
When contacted by The Straits Times Mr Olsen, who has been living and working in Singapore for the past six years, said he tried going to the Embassy of the United States here on Friday (Jan 27) but it was closed.
“It’s been frustrating,” said Mr Olsen, adding that his e-mails to the embassy has yet to be answered. “There hasn’t been any direction for Americans living here.”
On its website, the embassy said it will be closed between Jan 27 and 30 in observance of the Chinese New Year holiday.
The former United States ambassador to Singapore, Kirk Wagar, was among 80 envoys who left their post on Jan 20, on inauguration day.
The US embassy in Singapore is now headed by Stephanie Syptak-Ramnath, who is Charge d’Affaires, ad interim, according to the embassy’s website.
Dr Al-Qazwini, 33, said her relatives in the United States are in a state of uncertainty following Friday’s executive order.
“Most of them are green card holders or waiting for their paperwork. They’re in a state of fear. Nobody knows what’s going on,” she said, adding that she and her husband do not have permanent residency here.
azhaki@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on Jan 29, 2017.
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