Donald Trump's 'Muslim ban' supported by Stoke City defender Geoff Cameron
Other members of the United States national team, including captain Michael Bradley, have condemned President Trump's order
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Your support makes all the difference.Geoff Cameron, the Stoke City defender, has come out in support of Donald Trump’s decision to temporarily ban people from seven Muslim-majority countries from travelling to the United States.
Non-American residents of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen have been prohibited from entering the country since last Friday, after President Trump signed an executive order to enact his campaign promise of “extreme vetting” for foreign nationals.
The order has been widely condemned, with US national team captain Michael Bradley describing the policy as “the latest example of someone who couldn’t be more out of touch with our country and the right way to move forward.”
Cameron, an international team-mate of Bradley, has now defended President Trump’s policy, claiming that a ‘temporary pause’ on immigration from some countries in necessary in order to minimise the threat of terrorism.
“I believe it’s important to support our President whether he was your candidate or not,” Cameron told Sports Illustrated.
“I am pleased he is making security of all Americans one of his top priorities. Our enemies have stated—and in Europe they have proven—they will take advantage of lax immigration procedures for the purposes of staging attacks.
“A temporary pause on immigration for the purpose of evaluating and improving vetting procedures makes sense,” he added.
“The United States is one of the most generous and compassionate nations. Our ability to care for and support countries and refugees in need resides in our own sense of security. If we don’t feel safe, how can we protect others?”
Three other US men’s internationals, Alejandro Bedoya, Darlington Nagbe and Sacha Kljestan, have echoed Bradley’s sentiments and spoken out against the so-called ‘Muslim ban’.
Earlier this week, Bedoya told FourFourTwo: “This team is the epitome or diversity in America and what America's all about. So I stand by my captain.”
Bruce Arena, the US national team’s head coach, has admitted that the ban has become 'an issue' among his players, several of whom are from immigrant families.
“They know what’s going on. I don’t think it’s the first thing they talk about, but it’s certainly an issue,” he told The Washington Post, before Cameron’s recent comments.
“I don’t think there’s one person on our team that thinks a ban on Muslims or any other group is right,” Arena added.
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