--- title: Donald Trump Refugee Policy: Malala Yousafzai 'Heartbroken' description: Human rights activist Malala Yousafzai said she was "heartbroken" Friday by President Donald Trump's action to suspend the refugee program canonical: https://time.com/4652589/malala-yousafzai-president-trump-refugee-program/ author: Katie Reilly article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-01-28T14:30:13.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T09:04:35.142Z og:title: Malala Yousafzai 'Heartbroken' by President Trump's Refugee Policy og:description: 'I ask President Trump not to turn his back on the world’s most defenseless' og:url: https://time.com/4652589/malala-yousafzai-president-trump-refugee-program/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt12a55387b062c445/6988b7b5fb4eacea3489092f/malala-yousafzai.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5112 og:image:height: 2876 og:image:alt: Murdered MP Jo Cox Is Remembered At Memorial Events Worldwide og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Malala Yousafzai 'Heartbroken' by President Trump's Refugee Policy twitter:description: 'I ask President Trump not to turn his back on the world’s most defenseless' twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt12a55387b062c445/6988b7b5fb4eacea3489092f/malala-yousafzai.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Malala Yousafzai 'Heartbroken' by President Trump's Action on Refugees > Sponsored content. 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Worth Your Time is TIME's culture recommendation newsletter, edited by culture editor Eliza Berman. Twice a week it surfaces the books, shows, films and ideas TIME's editors think are worth your attention, and explains why. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Does TIME have a culture newsletter? Yes. Worth Your Time is TIME's culture newsletter, published Tuesdays and Saturdays. #### Who writes TIME's culture recommendations? Culture editor Eliza Berman writes Worth Your Time, drawing on TIME's critics and culture desk. #### Is Worth Your Time free? Yes. It is a free newsletter available at time.com/newsletters.  by [Katie Reilly](https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Jan 28, 2017 2:30 PM UTC  Human rights campaigner Malala Yousafzai delivers a speech on stage during a memorial event for Labour MP Jo Cox at Trafalger Square on June 22, 2016 in London, United Kingdom. Human rights campaigner Malala Yousafzai delivers a speech on stage during a memorial event for Labour MP Jo Cox at Trafalger Square on June 22, 2016 in London, United Kingdom. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images  by [Katie Reilly](https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Jan 28, 2017 2:30 PM UTC [Malala Yousafzai](http://motto.time.com/4402630/malala-yousafzai-accomplishments/) — who has become a champion for human rights and girls’ education since being [shot in the head](http://time.com/3490769/malala-yousafzai-the-day-i-woke-up-in-the-hospital/) by the Taliban for going to school in Pakistan when she was 15 — said she was “heartbroken” Friday by President Donald Trump’s [action on refugees](http://time.com/4652552/president-trump-is-suspending-a-refugee-program-and-banning-visas-from-7-countries/?xid=homepage). “I am heartbroken that today President Trump is closing the door on children, mothers and fathers fleeing violence and war,” she said in a Facebook post Friday. “I am heartbroken that America is turning its back on a proud history of welcoming refugees and immigrants — the people who helped build your country, ready to work hard in exchange for a fair chance at a new life.” The [Malala Fund](http://motto.time.com/4498931/malala-fund-refugee-summits/), founded by Yousafzai, advocates for girls’ education worldwide. In the midst of the [Syrian refugee crisis](http://time.com/4482541/syria-refugee-school/), the group has focused on [advocating for the rights](http://motto.time.com/4498931/malala-fund-refugee-summits/) of young refugees. Trump [took executive action](http://time.com/4652552/president-trump-is-suspending-a-refugee-program-and-banning-visas-from-7-countries/?xid=homepage) on Friday to suspend the State Department’s Refugee Assistance Program and ban visa entry from Iraq, Syria and five other countries. “I am heartbroken that Syrian refugee children, who have suffered through six years of war by no fault of their own, are singled-out for discrimination,” Yousafzai said in her statement. “I am heartbroken for girls like my friend Zaynab, who fled wars in three countries — Somalia, Yemen and Egypt — before she was even 17\. Two years ago she received a visa to come to the United States. 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