Foreign minister Murray McCully says US President Donald Trump's ban on travellers from Muslim-majority countries is causing "considerable concern" but he has stopped short of directly criticising it.
The National-led Government and Prime Minister Bill English are being urged by Opposition parties, support partner United Future and the Human Rights Commission to follow other international leaders in condemning Trump's policy.
In a statement this morning, Mr McCully said: "It is clear that the immigration announcements out of the US are causing widespread confusion and considerable concern."
"While we respect the right of the US administration to determine US immigration policy these are not initiatives that New Zealand would contemplate.
"It is also clear that the implementation is subject to significant teething problems."
Mr McCully went on to say that no New Zealanders had sought help from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) as a result of the new immigration policy.
"At this stage MFAT has not received any requests for consular assistance as a result of the 90 day US immigration ban.
"We would encourage all people who require advice regarding travel to the US to contact the US Consulate General in Auckland in the first instance."
An executive order signed by Trump on Friday blocks entry to the United States for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
New Zealanders who hold dual citizenship with those countries are captured by the order. A permanent ban has been put in place for Syrian refugees, and a temporary ban for other refugees.
Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy this morning told Radio NZ she hoped Mr English would make a statement on Trump's ban, "if anything to assure the Muslim New Zealanders living in New Zealand that we're going to look after them, and that the situation for them is not going to become like it is overseas".
Labour and Greens have also urged Mr English to condemn the policy.
New Zealand looked weak by not standing up to the "racist" ban, Green Party immigration spokeswoman Denise Roche said yesterday, noting that France, Germany and Canada had condemned Trump's executive order banning refugees and travellers from some Muslim-majority countries.
"New Zealand has stood up for what's right in the past by refusing to have nuclear warships in our waters, and we should stand up for what's right again," Ms Roche said.
"We're hearing reports of families being kept apart by Trump's law change and being penalised for their ethnicity and religion. This is the very definition of racism, and we must stand up against it and help those who are victims of it."
Ms Roche also said the Government should immediately increase New Zealand's intake of Syrian refugees now that the US had shut their doors to the war-torn country.
The Government agreed in 2015 to an emergency intake of 600 Syrian refugees over three years, on top of the annual quota, and last year raised the overall quota from 750 to 1000. Refugee advocates believe the Government should go further given the global refugee crisis and the new US policy.
Labour leader Andrew Little also addressed the issue in his State of the Nation speech in Mt Albert yesterday, saying New Zealand would "never" take similar measures to the US.
Instead, this country could be a "beacon to the world", Mr Little said.
Referring to Trump and the rise of the far right in Europe, the Labour leader said: "The places that used to light the world with their progressive thinking - their lights shine more dimly now.
"Let us never loosen our hold on what makes us who we are. We can set the standard for co-operation, for tolerance, for a government that governs with compassion.
"We can show there's a better path than isolation and bigotry. It's our turn to shine and to lead the way, to be New Zealand at its best."
Trump's executive order has led to chaos and confusion in US airports as people from Arab countries are blocked from entering the country or boarding planes.
