Khizr Khan, the American Gold Star father who gave an impassioned speech against Donald Trump’s proposed Muslim immigration ban during last year’s Democratic National Convention, says he hopes the U.S. president can learn from how Canada treats immigrants.
Khan, whose son was killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq, told CTV’s Question Period Host Evan Solomon that he learned, during a recent trip to Toronto, that immigrants north of the border are often called “new Canadians.”
“These words speak volumes of how these resourceful, contributing members of our community are treated, are looked at,” he added. “To the Trump administration I say this: look to the north. Learn to take advantage of the assets that these immigrants bring.”
Khan continues to advocate against Trump’s temporary ban on refugees and immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries. He argues that the proposals are unconstitutional and will only make America a bigger target for terrorism.
“Enemies of the security and safety of the United States have been given a platform to speak now to 1.6 billion Muslims,” he said, referring to the global Islamic population. “They say, ‘See, we’ve been telling you that America is not your friend.’”
Khan noted that presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama both worked with the global Muslim community to fight against terrorism, while Trump “has alienated them.” Bush and Obama both repeatedly said that the U.S. is not at war with the Islamic faith, but with terrorists who pervert the religion.
During last July’s DNC convention, Khan famously offered to lend Trump his copy of the U.S. Constitution, so that he could “look for the words liberty and equal protection of law.”
