SXSW Not Here for President Trump’s Immigration Ban: ‘We Stand Against Discriminatory Laws’
Organizers for the South By Southwest Conference and Festivals are opposed to President Donald Trump’s executive order, which bans citizens from several Muslim-based countries from entering the United States.
On Monday (Jan. 30), reps for SXSW issued a statement denouncing President Trump’s action and vowed to do whatever is necessary to make sure that any Muslim performer, filmmaker or speaker will have no trouble attending their annual event. The statement reads (via Billboard):
SXSW is alarmed by the Trump administration’s decision to ban citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. We stand against discriminatory laws and unequivocally support civil rights for all persons everywhere. Participation by speakers, artists, and filmmakers from around the world is crucial to the creative mix of ideas that makes our event meaningful. We are working to understand how the ban will impact our participants and how we can use our voice to support those directly affected by this executive order."
Currently, none of the artists or creators scheduled for SXSW are traveling from the seven countries covered by the ban (Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen). President Trump's executive order prohibits travel from seven Muslim-majority nations for 90 days and suspends all refugee admission for 120 days.
Over the weekend, there was widespread protests at international airports from JFK to LAX. In addition, celebrities like Rihanna and John Legend have vehemently denounced the immigration ban.
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