Mo Farah could find himself caught up in Donald Trump’s Muslim ban
BRITISH Olympic champion Mo Farah could find himself caught up in Donald Trump’s Muslim ban after it emerged the policy applies to people with dual citizenship.
The runner, who has a training base in the US, is a British passport holder but was born in Somalia – one of seven countries to which travel restrictions will apply.
It has now been suggested that the Olympic hero could therefore be affected by the ban.
Farah lives with his family in the US state of Oregon, and it is understood he would not be booted out of the country if he were already there.
It was thought that he could find himself unable to leave – as he would not be allowed to re-enter for at least three months, until the temporary travel restrictions have been lifted.
But The Sun has now learned that the gold medal-winner is not currently in the States, as he is away training in Ethiopia – meaning he may not be able to return home to his family.
The Sun has contacted Farah’s representatives for comment.
A Tory MP and his wife are also among those affected by the travel ban.
Nadhim Zahawi, MP for Stratford-upon-Avon, today revealed he and his wife were both unable to travel to the US because they were born in Iraq.
He wrote on Twitter: “What if you are British of Iraqi origin, as I am? A sad sad day to feel like a second class citizen! Sad day for the USA.”
The politician later followed this up with a second post, tweeting: “Had confirmation that the order does apply to myself and my wife as we were both born in Iraq. Even if we are not dual Nat.”
The US president this week signed off an executive order denying people from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia entry to the USA for 90 days.
But people travelling on passports from countries other than these who originally come from one of the list of banned countries could also be prevented from entering to the US, it emerged today.
That means Brits with dual nationality that had planned getaways to the US in the next three months could be set for holiday misery.
A US State Department official told the Wall Street Journal that people travelling on British passports would be turned away if they were found to also have citizenship of one of Trump’s blacklisted countries.
A statement from the US government quoted by the paper reads: “Travellers who have nationality or dual nationality of one of these countries will not be permitted for 90 days to enter the United States or be issued an immigrant or non-immigrant visa.
“Those nationals or dual nationals holding valid immigrant or non-immigrant visas will not be permitted to enter the United States during this period.
“Visa interviews will generally not be scheduled for nationals of these countries during this period.”
