Iowa's Peter Jok gives thoughts on Trump executive order

Iowa basketball star Peter Jok and his immediate family are unaffected by President Donald Trump’s recent executive order on immigration to temporarily ban citizens of seven countries and all refugees from entering the United States.

Still, the Hawkeye senior and Big Ten Conference’s leading scorer took to Instagram on Sunday night to post some thoughts on the issue:

“Although I am a naturalized citizen of the United States and not affected by Trump’s Executive Order on Immigration, a lot of my friends and family are. Like the Lost Boys and thousands of Sudanese who came to this country as refugees. America has been home to me because I grew up here. It’s unfortunate the order has/will affect so many families and Sudanese athletes playing in the college and in the NBA. I hope the order is reversed soon, because America that I know is a land of opportunities and inclusion. I am praying for all those affected by it.”

Jok was 3 years old when he and his mother, grandmother and three siblings fled as refugees to the U.S. after his father, Sudanese general Dut, was killed in battle.

Jok was born in Juba, the capital of South Sudan. He has a U.S. passport and would be free to travel. So would his mother, Amelia Bol Ring, who has returned to their home region and currently is a member of the National Legislative Assembly in the Republic of South Sudan.

Sudan is one of the seven countries affected by Trump's order; South Sudan is not.

Jok is currently sidelined by a back injury and has not been made available by the UI for interviews since Wednesday.