As the world reels from Donald Trump’s Muslim refugee ban, an ex-US soldier has shared the story of an Iraqi refugee who saved his life twice.
Dylan Park’s story has been shared tens of thousands of times on social media.
He tweeted the story how, against all odds, he came to be reunited with the Iraqi interpreter who saved his life and came to live in America.
Park’s final tweet read: “Lost one brother, and got another one back.”
His tale comes in the wake of the US President’s latest executive order, which bans Muslims from seven countries entering the US.
Demonstrations have been held at airports across the US and thousands are due to gather outside Downing Street on Monday afternoon calling on the government to cancel Trump’s state visit to the UK.
The soldier’s story in full:
A petition calling for Trump’s scheduled state visit to be cancelled has become the second most popular government petition ever, surpassing a million signatures on Monday morning.
Trump has been invited to visit Britain later this year and will be hosted by the Queen and treated to all the pomp and ceremony accorded to a state visit.
Downing Street has stood by the invitation, saying it had been “extended and accepted” to the US president and will not be revoked.
A spokesman confirmed reports that retracting the offer would “undo everything” from Trump’s talks with Theresa May last week.
A statement on the Trump petition reads: “Donald Trump should be allowed to enter the UK in his capacity as head of the US Government, but he should not be invited to make an official state visit because it would cause embarrassment to Her Majesty the Queen.”
It continues: “Donald Trump’s well documented misogyny and vulgarity disqualifies him from being received by Her Majesty the Queen or the Prince of Wales.
“Therefore during the term of his presidency Donald Trump should not be invited to the United Kingdom for an official State Visit.”
In addition to Syria, the other countries affected by the ban are Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
MPs from the across the political spectrum have condemned Trump’s Muslim refugee ban, although the British Prime Minister was criticised for her delay in responding to the executive order.
The Foreign Office said Britons with dual citizenship would be exempt from the controversial travel ban.