Khizr Khan Cancels Speaking Engagement in Canada Allegedly Due to 'Review of Travel Privileges'

How the Khans Inspired Hollywood Muslims to Stand Up and Be Counted

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Khirz Khan, the Muslim-American Gold Star father famous for rebuking Donald Trump’s immigration rhetoric at the Democratic National Convention, has canceled a speech he had planned to give Tuesday in Toronto, and the Canadian organization that had booked the speech reported that his “travel privileges are being reviewed.”

Ramsay Talks, the organization due to host Khan’s speech, announced the development on Facebook, adding that “tickets will be refunded.”

The tweet included an apparent apology from Khan, in which he said: “This turn of events is not just of deep concern to me but to all my fellow Americans who cherish our freedom to travel abroad. I have not been given any reason as to why. I am grateful for your support and look forward to visiting Toronto in the near future.”

Also Read: Gold Star Dad Khizr Khan Rips Donald Trump: 'This Isn't Your America'

Additionally, CBC Politics Reporter John Paul Trasker confirmed on Twitter on Monday that Khan was also scheduled to appear on the Canadian news channel but canceled, citing the same reason.

The announcement comes the same day that President Donald Trump signed a new executive order placing a temporary travel ban on entry of citizens from six Muslim-majority countries. Those new restrictions are to be rolled out on March 16.

It is unclear from Khan’s account what agency might have placed his travel privileges under review — especially since the Pakistani-born man has been a U.S. citizen for 30 years. His Toronto speech was to address “tolerance, understanding, unity and the rule of law,” according to Ramsay Talks.

Also Read: Trump Signs Revised Travel Ban Targeting Six Muslim-Majority Countries (Video)

Khan was the standout speaker at last summer’s Democratic National Convention, where he challenged Trump to read the U.S. Constitution and accused him of having “sacrificed nothing and no one.” Khan lost his son to the Iraq War in 2004.

Trump responded by calling Khan “very emotional” and suggesting he didn’t allow his wife to speak at the convention because of their religion. “Mr Khan, who does not know me, viciously attacked me from the stage of the DNC and is now all over TV doing the same – Nice!” Trump tweeted.

Journalists on Twitter were quick to question whether “we’re getting the full story” on Khan’s reason for cancelling his trip to Canada.

Read some of the tweets below:

I sincerely doubt we're getting the full story here https://t.co/DuucLFMeFF

— Alex Griswold (@HashtagGriswold) March 6, 2017

The passive voice and the lack of any information beyond an unsupported assertion require skepticism here. https://t.co/qY0ZK8iS7D

— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) March 6, 2017

Be very careful with this story. No statement from Khan. Hard to imagine any grounds for passport revocation. https://t.co/iQGevqrEsE

— Josh Barro (@jbarro) March 6, 2017

9 People Stopped at Airports Under Trump's Travel Ban (Photos)

On Jan. 27, President Donald Trump signed an executive order restricting travel from seven Muslim-majority countries. The ban is now tied up in courts, but Trump has announced plans for a new ban.

The first travel ban affected about 90,000 people. Here's an introduction to eight of them.
Muhammad Ali Jr.

Legendary boxer Muhammad Ali's son and his mother were stopped by immigration officials at the Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

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Khalilah Camacho-Ali was let go after showing officials a photo of her and her then-husband Muhammad Ali, but Muhammad Ali, Jr. was questioned for an hour and 45 minutes, according to the Los Angeles Times.
We can't say conclusively why the Alis were stopped, but the family's lawyer said that the officials kept asking Ali Jr. about his religion. (The elder Ali is pictured here with President George W. Bush, receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.)
Hameed Khalid Darweesh

Hameed Khalid Darweesh worked for over 10 years as an interpreter for the U.S government in Iraq.

According the the New York Times, Darweesh was detained at JFK airport for about 19 hours before he was allowed to enter the U.S.

“What I do for this country? They put the cuffs on,” Darweesh told the Times.
A 5-year-old boy

A 5-year-old boy was detained for a few hours at Washington Dulles International Airport.

According to the Independent, the boy is a U.S. citizen who lives with his Iranian mother in Maryland and was traveling with another family member at the time.
“To assume that just because of someone’s age and gender that they don’t pose a threat would be misguided and wrong,” said White House press secretary Sean Spicer.
Areej Ali

The 33-year-old software developer, a green-card holder, was detained in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and again in Los Angeles. She said she was returning from her sister's wedding in Sudan.

Her family found a lawyer who noted that the ban did not apply to people with green cards, according to the Daily Bulletin.

Fusion
Mazdak Tootkaboni and Arghavan Louhghalam

This husband and wife are associate professors at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and both are permanent residents of the United States, but are Iranian in nationality.

According to the Guardian, the two professors were coming back from a conference in France when they were stopped at Boston's Logan airport and questioned for four hours before being released.
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Sidd Bikkannavar

The U.S.-born Muslim scientist says he was detained under President Trump’s travel ban and forced by border agents to unlock his NASA-issued phone.

Bikkannavar is an employee at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and was coming back from a trip in Patagonia when he was detained. Patagonia is a region in Argentina and Chile -- neither of which are among the countries covered by the travel ban.
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Khanon Mahindokht Azad

According to the Guardian, Khanon Mahindokht Azad is a 78-year-old Iranian grandmother who visits the U.S. every now and then to see her kids -- who are U.S. citizens.

After 27 hours of being detained at LAX, she was finally allowed into the country.
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From a legendary boxer’s son to a 5-year-old boy to a woman visiting her grandkids

On Jan. 27, President Donald Trump signed an executive order restricting travel from seven Muslim-majority countries. The ban is now tied up in courts, but Trump has announced plans for a new ban.

The first travel ban affected about 90,000 people. Here's an introduction to eight of them.

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