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.”
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.
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:
https://twitter.com/HashtagGriswold/status/838820983104499712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/838822196562833409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/jbarro/status/838821823013875712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw