Foreign Minister Murray McCully says US President Donald Trump's ban on travellers from Muslim-majority countries is causing "considerable concern" but he has stopped short of directly criticising it. "At this stage MFAT has not received any requests for consular assistance as a result of the 90 day US immigration ban. A permanent ban has been put in place for Syrian refugees, and a temporary ban for other refugees. Roche also said the Government should immediately increase New Zealand's intake of Syrian refugees now that the US had shut their doors to the war-torn country. Trump's executive order has led to chaos and confusion in US airports as people from Arab countries are blocked from entering the country or boarding planes.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 29, 2017 21:23 UTC