Rudd: Trump travel ban could be 'propaganda opportunity' for IS

Downing Street has responded to Home Secretary Amber Rudd's statement that President Donald Trump's travel ban could be a "propaganda opportunity" for Islamic State.

A spokesperson for Number 10 told ITV News: "We have been very clear that we believe this policy is divisive and wrong.

"Daesh will twist any policy from any Government for their own propaganda purposes."

Donald Trump's press secretary hit out at reporters describing the immigration executive order as a "travel ban" despite the President using the phrase himself.

At a press briefing Sean Spicer said: "It's not a ban... A ban would mean people can't come in, we've clearly seen hundreds of thousands of people coming in to our country from other countries."

But the day before, the President himself had described the measure as a "ban".

When confronted with the tweet, Spicer said: "I think the words that are being used to describe it derive from what the media is calling this. He has been very clear that it is extreme vetting."

• Video report by ITV News Deputy Political Editor Chris Ship

Home Secretary Amber Rudd strongly condemned Donald Trump's travel ban calling it "divisive" and "wrong" and that it helped the terror group Islamic State.

But the Prime Minister's response to Trump's executive order, since leaving the White House, has been inconsistent.

At first Theresa May ignored questions on the ban and then offered a neutral response before Downing Street said it "disagreed with the ban".

But at no point did the PM say the ban helped terrorists suggesting that her views may be at odds with those of the Home Secretary.

San Francisco is the first city to file a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's executive order directing the US government to withhold money from 'sanctuary cities' for undocumented immigrants.

City Attorney Dennis Herrera filed the lawsuit which alleges that the executive order violates the 10th Amendment of the US Constitution.

"In blatant disregard of the law, President of the United States seeks to coerce local authorities into abandoning what are known as 'Sanctuary City' laws and policies," the lawsuit said.

Iraq's Prime Minister has said the US travel ban is an "offence to Iraq" and President Trump should instead be "grateful" as they are "fighting terrorism".

Haider al-Abadi told a news conference on Tuesday that he hoped the executive order - banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, which includes Iraq - will be overturned.

However he also confirmed the Iraqi government will not take retaliatory measures: "The way the order was issued was not good, and I don't want to cause the same offence to the American people."

Speaker Paul Ryan has apologised for the "confusion" caused by the implementation of President Trump's controversial travel ban, but has defended the purpose of it.

Mr Trump's executive order on immigration last Friday has led to widespread protests and demonstrations.

However Mr Ryan defended the president during a press conference on Tuesday, and said: "The president has a responsibility to the security of this country.

"It's regrettable that there was confusion on the roll-out of this. No one wanted to see people with green cards or special immigrant visas, like translators, get caught up in all of this."

He added: "[Mr Trump is] confident that he is, on a going forward basis, going to make sure that things are done correctly."

The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dianne Feinstein, questioned Jeff Sessions' independence as potential Attorney General.

Stating she would not vote for President Donald Trump's nominee, she said she could not reconcile the independence required in the job "with the partisanship this nominee has exhibited".

She commended acting US Attorney General Sally Yates, who was fired after questioning Trump's travel ban, adding: "That statement took a steel spine to stand up and say no. That is what an attorney general must be willing and able to do."

US President Donald Trump's "divisive" travel ban could provide a "propaganda opportunity" for the so-called Islamic State, according to the Home Secretary Amber Rudd.

She warned the Home Affairs Select Committee: "ISIS and Daesh will use any opportunity they can to.. create the environment they want to radicalise people.

"It is a propaganda opportunity for them, potentially."

She added: "They may use this as an example."