Khizr Khan, the Muslim father of a US Army Captain Humayun Khan who was killed during the Iraqi war in 2004, and who hit the headlines criticisng Donald Trump during the presidential campaign, has cancelled travel to Canada due to what he says “his travel privileges are being reviewed”.
SFGATE: Gold Star Dad Khizr Khan Cancels Speech in Canada Due to ‘Review of Travel Privileges’
Khizr Khan, the Muslim-American Gold Star father famous for rebuking Donald Trump’s immigration rhetoric at the Democratic National Convention, has canceled a speech he had planned to give Tuesday in Toronto, and the Canadian organization that had booked the speech reported that his “travel privileges are being reviewed.”
Ramsay Talks, the organization due to host Khan’s speech, announced the development on Facebook, adding that “tickets will be refunded.”
Additionally, CBC Politics Reporter John Paul Trasker confirmed on Twitter on Monday that Khan was also scheduled to appear on the Canadian news channel but canceled, citing the same reason.
The announcement comes the same day that President Donald Trump signed a new executive order placing a temporary travel ban on entry of citizens from six Muslim-majority countries. Those new restrictions are to be rolled out on March 16.
But there have been reports of travel problems since Trump took office.
The Facebook message:
KHIZR KHAN EVENT CANCELLATION
Late Sunday evening Khizr Khan, an American citizen for over 30 years, was notified that his travel privileges are being reviewed. As a consequence, Mr. Khan will not be traveling to Toronto on March 7th to speak about tolerance, understanding, unity and the rule of law. Very regretfully, Ramsay Talks must cancel its luncheon with Mr. Khan. Guests will be given full refunds.
Mr. Khan offered his sincere apologies to all those who made plans to attend on March 7th. He said: “This turn of events is not just of deep concern to me but to all my fellow Americans who cherish our freedom to travel abroad. I have not been given any reason as to why. I am grateful for your support and look forward to visiting Toronto in the near future.
I don’t know what actual risk there is if any to Khan’s international travel being disrupted by any review but there have been a number of reports of people being caught up in airport detentions since Trump started restricting travel and checks at airports have increased.
Perhaps Khan is being overly cautious, but there must be many people reconsidering travel plans both to and from the US.
Brown
/ March 8, 2017I smell bullshit for political effect.
Pete George
/ March 8, 2017Are you questioning Khan’s claim his travel privileges are under review? Or suggesting he is making a political point over the review?
Brown
/ March 8, 2017The latter at this point. If his travel rights are being looked at there may be a reason for that so he will need to deflect the attention.
Joe Bloggs
/ March 8, 2017It’s a sad day when that bullshit for political effect is not only tacitly condoned but actively supported when it comes from trump or his administration, yet when an American citizen of 30 years and a gold star parent expresses concerns about travelling out of America he’s labelled a bullshitter
Gezza
/ March 8, 2017Me too. I was just reading Trumpster’s tweets.
Corky
/ March 8, 2017‘Perhaps Khan is being overly cautious, but there must be many people reconsidering travel plans both to and from the US.’
I don’t think so. He low-blowed President Trumpy. Political pay back is a real possibility and Khan has wisely considered that.
Gezza
/ March 8, 2017That phrase “travel privileges being reviewed” sounds odd without the facts being known.
Anonymous Coward
/ March 8, 2017There’s been quite a few instances where people have been put on the no fly list, but allowed to fly out of America only to find they can’t fly home. You can find out if you’re on it, if you’re lucky, with an FOIA – but they don’t tell you ordinarily, even if you are getting on a plane.
Gezza
/ March 8, 2017Yes, but if that had happened to him, that is surely what he’d say? “I’m on the ‘no fly list’! I doubt somebody in the relevant government agency would tell him his “travel privileges are under review” knowing it would probably provoke his going straight to the press. He let himself get wheeled out on stage with his missus by Clinton for political purposes & I wonder if Brown has got it right in his first comment under PG’s post, franklu, AC. I’d like to see some evidence.
Pete George
/ March 8, 2017But Khan doesn’t say he was prevented from travelling to Canada. He says his travel privileges were being reviewed – no evidence of this.
But I would expect that a lot of US Muslims will be concerned about travelling out of the country when there is uncertainty abiouyt whether they will be allowed to return.
Pete George
/ March 8, 2017http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/khizr-khan-travel-privileges-toronto-235727
Gezza
/ March 8, 2017I’m smelling hyperbolic acid Pete.
Pete George
/ March 8, 2017There may well be some.
But there is no doubt that travel to and from the US, especially by Muslims, has become a contentious issue.
People are concerned. Whether they have more legitimate cause for concern now than a few months ago is another question that is difficult to answer.
Gezza
/ March 8, 2017Yeah, but I think it highly likely Khan has an agenda & is bullshitting, frankly.
Pete George
/ March 8, 2017Agenda, yes.
Bullshitting? Currently unknown.
But Trumpists (not meaning you Gezza) are on weak ground complaining about bullshit.
Gezza
/ March 8, 2017👍 Right with you on that one brother ! 😃
Corky
/ March 8, 2017True.
Nelly Smickers
/ March 8, 2017*DON’T MESS WITH THE DONALD * [1936]
Anonymous Coward
/ March 8, 2017There is A LOT more to US travel restrictions than the new Presidential decrees. Primarily I’m thinking about the NO-FLY list, but there is also the TSA’s draconian border control and the Visa reviews that have been underway since the first order came out.