Oscars 2017: Cinematographer of Oscar-winning film The White Helmets blocked from attending
Khaled Khatib was set to attend the Academy Awards after Donald Trump's travel ban was lifted
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Your support makes all the difference.The White Helmets may have won Best Documentary Short at the 2017 Academy Awards, but its cinematographer has been barred from entering the US to attend the ceremony, according to the Associated Press.
AP reports that the Department of Homeland Security blocked Khaled Khatib after discovering "derogatory information" about him, with Khatib having made plans to fly from Istanbul to Los Angeles the day before the ceremony.
Khatib was reportedly detained by Turkish officials earlier in the week for undisclosed reasons, needing a passport waiver which was denied; he had planned to attend the ceremony after the travel ban was lifted.
Trump had ordered a four-month ban on all refugees from entering the country as well as enacting an indefinite ban on all those who hail from Syria. For 90 days, visas were not to be issued to nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
The Department of Homeland Security has since suspended all enforcement of Trump's immigration ban following a nationwide locking of the executive order from federal judge James Robart in Washington.
Khatib was a member of the White Helmets, an organisation which searches for survivors in the rubble of bombed buildings, but served as cinematographer for the Netflix documentary.
To follow all the happenings at this year’s Oscars ceremony, check out our live blog here. You can find a list of all the winners here.
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