Malala Yousafzai ‘Heartbroken’ by President Trump’s Action on Refugees

Malala Yousafzai — who has become a champion for human rights and girls’ education since being shot in the head 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.

“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, founded by Yousafzai, advocates for girls’ education worldwide. In the midst of the Syrian refugee crisis, the group has focused on advocating for the rights of young refugees.

Trump took executive action 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. She learned English, graduated high school and is now in college studying to be a human rights lawyer.”