South Bay Muslim community joins together to talk travel ban

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- President Donald Trump vowed to issue a new executive order on travel Thursday.

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The South Bay Muslim community says the current executive order is contributing to Islamophobia and Thursday they came together to address the problem.

The panel discussion was hosted by Silicon Valley Faces at their office. It was an intimate group of like-minded people hoping to spread understanding beyond their four walls.

"I am actually thankful to Donald Trump," said American Muslim Voice Foundation Founder Samina Sundas. "Because of his hatred for everybody, he's pushing us to really get closer."

A unique perspective from one of the panelists at a forum called Banding Against Islamophobia.

"It seems like a lot of Americans don't know any Muslim or they have not met a Muslim," said Moina Shaiq, the founder of Meet A Muslim. "So it's important for them to get to know us and see us as human beings."

"Whatever we can do to promote love and peace, respect and understanding--I'm here," said Sabuhi Siddique, vice chair of the Santa Clara County Human Relations Commission.

Leann Lusco is from Alabama. She came looking for advice on how to better communicate with some of her friends back home. "Take them to meet someone, strike up friendships with other people and through that way we can," she said. "Might not be as fast as I want it to be, but hopefully changing minds instead of both sides being defensive."

As for the latest on the president's travel ban, he says he'll issue a new executive order next week.

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"We got a bad decision," said Trump. "We had a court that's been overturned maybe wrong, but I think 80 percent of the time, a lot, we had a bad decision."

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