tonight at six — the mounting international backlash against president trump's immigration control. here, there's anger over the invitation to meet the queen — more than a million have signed a petition against a state visit. there will be regulation, there will be controlled. we are also waiting on a press conference with the irish and british leaders. if you are watching in the uk, we are on the news channel so we can bring this to you in its entirety. welcome to all of you watching an

bbc world news and the bbc news channel. if you want the six o'clock news, it is on bbc one. let's turn to the us. these are some of the scenes we have seen to the us. these are some of the scenes we have seen in the last couple of days. protests against mr trump's executive order on administration. 16 attorney general have said the ban is unconstitutional. judges have halted the ban on visa holders but mr trump is not wavering. mr trump said if the ban was announced with one—week notice, the bad would rush into our

country. a lot of bad dudes, he says. he is also blaming the chaos we have seen at the ports, —— the airports, the big problems were caused by a delta computer outage. that was on sunday night, mr trump's immigration ban started on friday. let's bring in cantonese lurker. who comes out on top? the federaljudges are supposed to come out on top. -- anthony zurcher. there are law sorts challenging the order in its entirety. ifjudges find the order is unconstitutional or violates

previous law, then it could be put on hold or struck down entirely. it is up to the trump administration and immigration officials to force thosejudicial and immigration officials to force those judicial holdings but it would be quite a remarkable occurrence if they didn't. how'd we gauge those protests. on one level they are remarkable. on the other side of the argument, they are happening in cities which we know are primarily against mrtrump? cities which we know are primarily against mr trump? i guess that is something to take into consideration. it is interesting that just last week we had consideration. it is interesting thatjust last week we had hundreds of thousands of people in dc and around the country marching in protest against donald trump. then the rain next weekend we see these demonstrations at airports. it seems like there is some momentum and persistence to the organised opposition of donald trump. in washington, dc, new york,

boston and los angeles, those are fairly traditional democratic states. however, there have been some protests in indianapolis and dallas fort worth, so it is notjust held to the blue states, the democratic states. i will come back to you in a moment. there is confusion about who this executive order applies to. the order brings ina order applies to. the order brings in a suspension of the un refugee admissions programme. that will last for 128 days. there is an indefinite ban on syrian refugees coming into the us, and there is a ban on travellers who have nationality or dual nationality from iran, iraq, yemen, somalia, sudan and libya. they will not be permitted to enter the us for 90 days. as you can imagine, thousands of people are being affected. anthony, can you help me on this, are we approaching

a uniform experience for people arriving in the country? that does not seem to be the way this is playing out in airports across the country. we hear stories about people who have green cards, who are permanent residents of the us being allowed in in some places and being detained and questioned and others. people with visas have been allowed in some places and detained in others. the problem was that donald trump signed this executive order on friday afternoon and apparently, they did not do a whole lot to inform immigration officials on the ground, about how to implement it. there were conflicting instructions about what green card holders can expect when they arrive in the us and that did not really get sorted out until saturday night, maybe going into sunday that they should be allowed on a case—by—case basis. so that is contributing to the confusion, that it does not look like there was a lot of preparation put in beforehand. what is your view

of the politics of this? i spent the weekend consuming a lot of media and at times it felt like i was consuming two parallel universes. is there a quiet section of america which is glad about this?” there a quiet section of america which is glad about this? i think if you talk to donald trump supporters and the bbc has around the country, they are willing to give donald trump the benefit of the doubt. they think there is a problem, they see what has happened in europe and various attacks around the world, and they are afraid of that being transported to the us and so, they are willing to allow certain bit of confusion and some trouble with people trying to get in, in order to prevent what they see as chaos reaching american shores. beyond that, we will have to see. the republicans in congress, for the most part, have either been quiet or issued tepid support for the ruling,

although there have been some key senators who have broken ranks. john mccain has been very vocal in his denouncement. and a few other senators across the country, and congressmen from key swing states, so congressmen from key swing states, so they may be feeling a bit of the pressure right now. thank you. as i mentioned at the beginning of the programme, none of this should come asa programme, none of this should come as a surprise. donald trump made no secret of his intentions. here he was in 2015 as he saw the republican nomination. donaldj was in 2015 as he saw the republican nomination. donald] trump is calling for a complete shutdown in muslims entering the united states, until our country's representatives can figure out what the hell is going on. at that time, vice president mike pence was the governor of indiana and he tweeted this: calls to ban muslims entering the us are offensive and unconstitutional. here is vice

president pentz watching donald trump signed this executive order, smiling, nodding, clapping and clearly approving. anthony, let's bring you in on this. all politicians have to shift their positions from campaigning to power. when donald trump came out with a sweeping muslim ban he was roundly criticised by establishment republican politicians. they set down a marker saying this was unacceptable and un—american. he won the nomination and the presidency said they are in a bind. there are people like mike pence who are smiling when earlier donald trump + something that can have criticised. we saw the a similar thing with paul ryan. another senator has been more

tepid in his praise and was effectively kicking it down the road. we will speak to you tomorrow, iam sure. road. we will speak to you tomorrow, i am sure. at the knees live from his newsroom in washington, dc. donald trump has signed another executive order. if you have a regulation you want, number one it has already been approved but the only way to have a chance is to knock out two regulations for every new regulation, so there is a new regulation, you have to knockout two, but it goes far beyond that. regulations for large businesses and small businesses are different and this is what this is about today. this will be the biggest such act

that our country has ever seen. there will be regulation, there will be controlled but it will be a normalised control where you can open a new business and expand your business very easily and that is what our country has been all about. should i sign it? yes. it isa it is a simple idea, to bring in a new regulation you have to knockout two others. let's bring in michelle fleu ry two others. let's bring in michelle fleury in new york. it sounds simple on one level but it also sounds complicated and difficult to enforce ? complicated and difficult to enforce? the task of implementation and enforcement falls to a position which has not yet been confirmed. one thing which has been talked about, is this the right focus? not only are you trying to cut down the number, but does it address are

these regulations any good or not? the focus should be they onerous on businesses, rather than just the sheer number? we have already heard from donald trump saying he wants to cut as much as 75% of regulations in the us. that is certainly music to the us. that is certainly music to the ears of many businesses, particularly small businesses. if you look at surveys in terms of their sense of confidence in the ability of the president to deliver on this, it is fairly high at the moment. the question is, when you are talking about 75%, that is a lot. i am sorry to enter up to. i'm just being told that the leaders of ireland and the uk have begun their press co nfe re nce ireland and the uk have begun their press conference in dublin so let's listen. our discussions today take place as the uk prepares to leave the european union, while ireland remains fully committed member and will participate in the upcoming negotiations as one of the european union 27 member states. so although

our paths may be diverging in terms of the european union, our common interests remain and we are fully committed to working together on them. our meeting today covered a wide range of issues for which we we re wide range of issues for which we werejoined by the wide range of issues for which we were joined by the minister for foreign affairs of trade charlie flanagan and the secretary of the northern ireland, james brokenshire. we discussed the recent events in northern ireland and the implications brexit will have for the north and the relationship across these islands. we once again reiterated our joint and across these islands. we once again reiterated ourjoint and continuing commitment to the good friday agreement, and the institutions of the good friday agreement, and our shared desire to see a fully functioning executive, back in place as soon as functioning executive, back in place as soon as possible. i emphasised to the prime minister, the importance of finding the prime minister, the importance offinding a the prime minister, the importance of finding a way forward, an outstanding commitments, and in

particular, on issues such as the legacy institutions, under the stormont house agreement and the irish language. we will retain very close contact over the coming weeks, and we both hope the current election campaign underway will be calm and respectful. against this background, we considered the enormous challenges that brexit presents the northern ireland, giving the unique circumstances that apply here, including this particular to the fee and history. we are agreed on the importance of our two governments working together to ensure that the framework of the good friday agreement and success of agreements is fully preserved in the upcoming brexit negotiations and outcomes. we discussed the necessity of ensuring the continued free flow of ensuring the continued free flow of trade on the island and the need to avoid a hard border. i made it clear that in my view, any

manifestation of a hardboard would have very negative consequences which the prime minister fully understands. for our part, we will continue to engage with our uk colleagues, an brexit and the peace process , colleagues, an brexit and the peace process, as well as the issues arising from the nature and the depth of the economic and trading ties between the united kingdom and ireland. our two governments are agreed that if close and friction free economic and trading relationship between the united kingdom and the european union, including ireland, is in our very best interests, and uk prepares for its formal notification under article 50, we want to see that these deep trading ties between our two countries are quite nice and facilitated. and that will continue to be an absolute priority for my government, notjust in our discussions with the british government, but also with our eu partners as we prepare for the

negotiation process on the eu side of the table. prime minister may and i also took the opportunity today to reaffirm our commitment to maintaining the common travel area so maintaining the common travel area so important for our people on both sides, and we agreed to continue working together to this end. our discussions also touched on the importance of our future cooperation in key areas like agriculture and food, energy, security, criminal justice, education and culture. so i wa nt to justice, education and culture. so i want to thank you, theresa, prime minister, for our meeting today. we had a frank that very constructive discussion. we identified a number of areas where we have much further work to do together. i am confident that the strengthening and deepening of our relationship in recent years will stand to both our countries as we face into the many challenges that lie ahead. thank you. thank you. and i am delighted to be

in the lynn today. i think it is the third time that i have met the key —— taoiseach. family ties and bonds of affection unite our two countries andl of affection unite our two countries and i am personally committed to strengthening our relationship as the uk prepares to leave the eu. we are leaving the eu but not europe. we will stabilise partners, willing allies and close friends with our neighbours when we have so many values and interests in common. i know for the people of ireland and northern ireland, the ability to move freely across the border is an essential part of daily life, which is why the taoiseach and i had been clear there will be no return to the borders of the past. maintaining the common travel area and excellent economic links with northern ireland will be important priorities for the uk in the talks ahead. together we trade 1.2 billion euros worth of

goods and services every week. no one wants to see this diminished. the taoiseach and i have both reaffirmed our commitment to the belfast agreement and its successors including stormont house and fresh start. an explicit objective of the uk's -- uk start. an explicit objective of the uk's —— uk government's work on brexit is that we take into account the circumstances of northern ireland and i'm pleased that our partners have demonstrated a clear understanding to find a solution for northern ireland so that our people can move freely. i want the reciprocal rights enjoy by both countries to continue. but fails to recognise that when the uk leave the eu, ireland will remain a member state, and that is something i fully respect. it remains overwhelmingly and compellingly in the uk's national interest, that the eu with ireland in it, should succeed and

prosper. today, we have committed to building on the track record of strong cooperation generated by the bilateral work programme. it seems while we have plenty of work to do to have a smooth exit from the eu we do not want to lose sight of the citizens of both countries. and of course, citizens of both countries. and of course , we citizens of both countries. and of course, we both discussed the political situation in northern ireland. both the taoiseach and i have been unequivocal in our support for the political process as northern ireland parties navigate this electoral period. the difficulties we face today are serious. it is fundamentally important that we work with northern ireland's political leadership to seeka ireland's political leadership to seek a solution. the northern ireland secretary will be filling gauged over the next few days and months with the aim of making sure that once the election is over, a sta ble

that once the election is over, a stable devolved government is established that works for everyone andl established that works for everyone and i welcome the commitment of the irish minister for foreign affairs in supporting that objective. our discussions here in dublin have been very constructive and i'm sure we will continue the close level of cooperation and friendship between the uk and ireland in the coming months and years ahead. do you have a couple of questions? prime minister, you have said you are open to partial or associate membership of the customs union, and both leaders have said they don't want to see a hardboard or a border of the past, but what kind of border are we looking at in the future? are you both ruling out definitively any tariffs or custom checks along the border, and going into the negotiations on both sides, is that a red line issue? we have said we don't want to see a return to the borders of the past. that is not just a phrase. it symbolises the seamless fiction list border that we

wa nt seamless fiction list border that we want to see in the future. we will be working, as i set out in my speech earlier this month, of course there are elements of full membership of the customs union that would restrict our ability to do trade agreements with other parts of the world, but i believe that we need to find a solution which enable faster have a seamless and frictionless a border as possible, between northern ireland and ireland, so we can continue to see the trade, the everyday movements that we have seen up until now. and of course, we also want to ensure that we carry on with the common travel area which was in existence before either of us were members of the european union or its predecessors. the point is that britain are leaving the single market. the customs union is an area where we want to work for a hard now to arrive at the outcome of not

having a return to the hardboard, not having a return to borders of the past, but having a seamless and frictionless and trouble—free situation as we can put together. that is the outcome that we want. and the discussions and negotiations in respect of the customs union are where that will take place. donald trump is very much in the news in the last 24 hours or so, prime ministerand the last 24 hours or so, prime minister and taoiseach, are there any circumstances in which you can't envisage his state visit to the uk would be cancelled or any circumstances in which you would cancel or postpone going to the white house for said patrick's day. the united states is a close ally of the united kingdom. we work together across many areas of mutual interest, and we have that special relationship between us. i issued that invitation for president trump

to the united kingdom and that invitation stands. i spoke to the president very shortly after he was elected and he extended the invitation to me as taoiseach, as has been extended for many years to all of us previously and all governments in the united states. i intend to accept the invitation and idoso intend to accept the invitation and i do so fora intend to accept the invitation and i do so for a number of specific reasons. first of all, i think it is very important that i am able to say face—to—face to the president the issues which are important to us. i disagree with the policies introduced by the american government, but i don't want a situation where 35 million irish—americans who sign on with connections to this country, or the 50,000 undocumented irish people in

the united states are left without contact. the united states are left without co nta ct. we the united states are left without contact. we have great influence over the united states and we intend to use it. i think it is more important now than ever before, to be able to speak face—to—face with president trump and explain to him theissues president trump and explain to him the issues and the matters of importance for us here. so we do not wa nt to importance for us here. so we do not want to abandon the connection or the influence and become isolationists i not attending. it is not about a visit to the president, it isa not about a visit to the president, it is a symbol of the connection between the irish people and american people for 2.5 centuries, covering a broad range of issues from culture to solution —— social issues to political issues and trade. we have irish people across 50 states. these are people who want to expand their businesses and i need to talk to the president about

that, but also those who are undocumented who contribute to american society, who want a path to digital motivation to help make america great. i think it is very important that the political leader of the day here in ireland and me as taoiseach should be able to say that in the white house, but also to vice president pence and speaker of the house ryan, the united states chamber of commerce, the many visitors which have expanded into europe and ireland. these are the reasons why i think it is very important to accept and fulfil the invitation which has been extended to the people of ireland and the relationship between our two countries. both of you are leaders of your countries, what to think the people of your countries think about president trump's immigration restrictions and how do you think you should reflect and respond to

that, and taoiseach, particularly with respect to us immigration facilities that are operating in that country? first fall in respect of the policy of the american government, i disagree with it —— first of all. i would say that to the president and vice president when i meet him. the opportunity to go to the states also means you meet with the mayors of different cities. i met with mao walsh, senator schumer and others. these are important engagements —— mayor walsh. i have always argued for free trade and the development of irish us relationships. we have asked for a complete review of the preclea ra nce a complete review of the preclearance facilities in ireland so we can preclearance facilities in ireland so we can be absolutely clear about

the importance of it. and i would say it is important to remember that preclea ra nce say it is important to remember that preclearance in ireland here has been of enormous convenience to over 1.2 million people, in terms of efficiency and economics and all of that. so these are issues which we are happy to negotiate upon. what i think of the american president, this is a man who was elected by the votes of the american people, who is now implementing what he said he would do for the past two years. i don't agree with this policy and i will give my reasons for that one i talked to him, but in respect to our own connections with the united states, i think it is important keep that contact very much alive, more so that contact very much alive, more so than before. in relation to the policies announced by the united states, the uk takes a different approach. i was home secretary for

six years and at no stage did i introduced those sort of arrangements. so obviously resident trump has been elected by the people of the united states. he is now moving to put into place what he said he would do but we have a different approach to these matters in the uk. prime minister, a number of conservative mps have said to ban donald trump from a state visit to the uk would be pathetic megaphone diplomacy, do you agree with that and what do you say to mp5 who will block you on triggering article 50? i made it clear that the invitation to the state visit to president trump stands. on the debate on article 50, that. tomorrow with the second reading in the house of commons. my message to people is very clear. the people of the united kingdom voted on the 23rd ofjune

la st kingdom voted on the 23rd ofjune last year. they voted in a referendum that was given to them overwhelmingly by parliament by six to one. parliament gave the vote whether we should stay in the european union. the people spoke in that vote and the majority voted to leave the european union. i think it is the job of the government that that into practice. i hope people will recognise that that is a very simple decision, do they support the will of the british people or not? speaks irish. studio: you will be able to hear just as well as i can that that question is not in english. thank you forjoining me here an outside source. we are looking at a press

conference with the leaders of the uk and ireland. it has not been going on and there have been a lot of interesting points. both leaders have emphasised they do not want what enda kenny called a hard border between the republic of ireland and northern ireland. he spoke about desiring a close and friction free trading relationship and he described a frank conversation between the two of them. it is interesting that they both called each other by their first names. they have had three meetings in a close amount of time. theresa may said explicitly there will be no return to the borders of the past. it was interesting also to hear her say that it is in the uk's interests that the european union should succeed and prosper. some people who have argued for brexit have criticised the existence of the

european union saying it is not an institution which serves western europe well. theresa may did not say that at all. she said she wants the eu to succeed and prosper and if that happens, that will serve the uk post brexit very well. she also said she aspired to have a seamless, frictionless border between northern ireland and the republic of ireland. she said a hard border would have negative consequences, in fact both of them in as many words said just that. more recently, they were both asked questions about donald trump and his new restrictions on immigration. theresa may said we have a different approach in the uk, enda kenny said, ido approach in the uk, enda kenny said, i do not agree with him. they are now back to talking in english.