Hughes MP Craig Kelly won’t denounce Trump’s attempt to block citizens of Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States

HE HAS more than 1000 constituents from Muslim-majority countries on Donald Trump’s visa ban list – but Hughes MP Craig Kelly won’t denounce the President’s attempt to block travellers.

Hughes federal Liberal MP Craig Kelly would not denounce President Trump’s visa ban for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. Picture: Melvyn Knipe

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HUGHES federal Liberal MP Craig Kelly has refused to denounce US President Donald Trump’s controversial attempt to block citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.

Large protests have erupted at several American airports after Mr Trump issued the 90-day ban, forcing several travellers to be detained until judges blocked the visa suspension.

Mr Kelly’s southern Sydney electorate, which includes suburbs such as Wattle Grove, Hammondville and Holsworthy, is home to more than 1000 people born in the countries on Mr Trump’s banned list: Iraq, Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

“The important thing is not to call this a Muslim ban as some have done – the ban relates to people from those countries whether they are Muslim or not,” Mr Kelly said.

“Referring to it as a Muslim ban is stirring up division and hatred in countries across the world.”

President-elect Donald Trump walks through the Crypt at the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, Pool)

Mr Kelly acknowledged his constituents may have concerns about the widely criticised visa suspension, but said every country was entitled to make its own rules.

“Any dual passport holder – anyone who holds a valid Australian passport – is not affected by the United States’ temporary suspension,” Mr Kelly said.

“The reality is that every country has the right to determine what visa policy they will have.”

However, Mr Kelly insisted he had “great compassion” for the people from countries on Mr Trump’s banned list, who had not been allowed to enter the United States under his executive order.

“We’ve seen a tragedy in Syria,” Mr Kelly said.

“I couldn’t think of anything worse and I would be doing everything I could to resettle my family in a Western democracy as well.”

PROTESTS OVER TRUMP’S TRAVEL BAN SPREADS WORLDWIDE VARIOUS

Mr Kelly was reluctant to comment on Treasurer Scott Morrison’s earlier remarks on the ban on 2GB radio, in which he said the world was “catching up to Australia” on border security.

“The rest of the world would love to have our borders ... and the immigration arrangements we have put in place, particularly most recently over the last three or four years,” Mr Morrison said.

Originally published as Hughes MP Craig Kelly won’t denounce Trump’s attempt to block citizens of Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States