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Protest in Omaha over Trump's immigration rules

Posted at 10:26 PM, Jan 29, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-30 07:07:58-05
A weekend of demonstrations from coast to coast in reaction to President Donald Trump's executive orders banning travel into the U.S. from some Muslim majority countries. 
 
Many with visas are turned away from the entering the country or, in some cases are deported.
 
Reaction to the travel ban is being felt in the Omaha area. 
 
Carrying signs with slogans like "love trumps hate," demonstrators filled turner park in Midtown Omaha. 
 
They rallied to voice their concern over President Trump's executive order. 
 
There were about 15,000 people of all ages and races in Midtown this Sunday afternoon protesting the president's stance on immigration. 
 
It remained peaceful throughout.
 
Among those in the crowd were immigrants to the U.S. who are rejecting Trump's executive decisions.
 
"My husband and me are both physicians and we really started from scratch,” said Marwa Hegagi, from Libya. “We did a lot for this country. I saved a lot of lives and touched a lot of people. My boys are here, we're both on a visa. I cannot go to visit my family. My father died and I couldn't go to see him."
 
This former refugee says the president's temporary ban on all refugees hits hard.
 
"Was that my choice to become a refugee? Of course not,” said Former Refugee Feroz Mohammad. “I was forced to leave my country in less than 24 hours." 
 
There are better approaches than a temporary ban on all refugees,” Mohammed said.
 
"Let's fight for the better,” Mohammed said. “Let's have everybody get together and just fight with those few individuals that think Islamic terror. No they are not Muslim." 
 
Here’s part a statement President Trump issued Sunday.
 
"To be clear, this is not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely reporting. This is not about religion. This is about terror and keeping our country safe," Trump wrote.
 
Congressman Don Bacon released a statement on the president's executive decision.
 
"Once our new secretary of homeland security has conducted a review of our vetting procedures, I am confident he will recommend an approach to the president that protects our citizens while preserving the values we treasure as Americans," Bacon wrote.
 
The University of Nebraska Lincoln recommends students who are studying in the U.S. on certain visas not travel outside the U.S. until they say there is more clarity on the president’s executive order on immigration.
 
UNL says they’re supportive of all students. 

LFS International Center of the Heartland has organized another rally at Turner Park which is slated for Tuesday at 6pm.