The impact of US President Donald Trump's travel ban is already being felt by Australian entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Trump took to Twitter today to proclaim his support for small business, tweeting "The American dream is back. We're going to create an environment for small business like we haven't had in many, many decades!"
![The US government's top lawyer was fired by President Trump after instructing attorneys not to defend the country's new ...](/web/20170202185059im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/1/w/c/y/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gu1y7g.png/1485868961725.jpg)
The American dream is back. We’re going to create an environment for small business like we haven’t had in many, many decades! pic.twitter.com/ZuJNaN6z8b
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017
However the travel ban raises difficult questions for Australian small businesses and entrepreneurs.
![Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes has spoken out against Trump's immigration policy.](/web/20170202185059im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/e/7/4/6/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gu1y7g.png/1485822740064.jpg)
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced a deal with the White House on Tuesday enabling Australian dual-citizens to continue to travel to the United States but Council of Small Business Australia chief Peter Strong says small businesses with employees who need to travel to the United States will still be hit by the ban.
"If I'm hiring someone today and I need them to go to America tomorrow what do you do?," Strong says.
He says small businesses are not allowed to enquire about race and religion when hiring employees however under the Trump ban this may impact the ability of employees to work in the United States.
"I'd like the Human Rights Commissioner to provide some guidance about that," Strong says. "The government needs to brief industry. Big business will be ok but what do small businesses do?"
Entrepreneur group TechSydney says a number of members have been impacted by the Trump ruling.
HotelsCombined chief executive Hichame Assi has been in Australia since 2008 and is a British-Syrian dual national but is concerned about the impact of the ban.
Prior to the Prime Minister's deal with the White House Assi was told he was not allowed to go to the US for the next 90 days, even though he has a valid visa in his British passport.
"These developments in the US are not only disruptive to our business and our people, they're very troubling and are creating more tensions at a time when empathy is required," Assi says
If I'm hiring someone today and I need them to go to America tomorrow what do you do?
Peter Strong
Mike Cannon-Brookes, co-founder of Atlassian, is also concerned at the ban.
"At Atlassian, our core values are built on openness and inclusion," he says. "We believe in creating equal opportunity and access for everyone and I stand against any action that does not support these. I am shocked and saddened by the impact these restrictions could have on, not only Atlassian employees and their families, but all citizens whose dignity is being trampled."
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