Iceland condemns U.S. immigration restrictions

Iceland's foreign ministry issued a statement condemning the U.S. decision to ban entry of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, Icelandic media reported on Monday.

Closing borders for people fleeing war and discriminating against people based on nationality and religion would be the wrong way to improve security and send the wrong message, Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson said in the statement.

"Immigrants and refugees provide a human resource and a wide range of experience which enriches communities," Thordarson said.

According to online newspaper Iceland Monitor, Minister of Health Ottarr Proppe and Minister of Finance Benedikt Johannesson have also disapproved strongly of the U.S. decision.

"We must all protest! What a tragedy to have to experience the prejudice and evil shown by the new President of the United States towards immigrants and refugees," Proppe wrote in a Facebook statement.

"Icelanders must all support freedom and show their disapproval of Trump's actions," Johannesson wrote on his Facebook page.

Under an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday, refugees from all over the world will be suspended from entering the United States for 120 days while all immigration from so-called "countries with terrorism concerns" will be suspended for 90 days.

Countries included in the ban are Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. The total population from these countries exceeds 130 million. Endit