Darius Syrossian pulls out of US tour plans citing Trump’s “race and nationality-based” travel restrictions
He shared concerns around current travel restrictions, which "target, exclude, and marginalise people based on who they are and where they're from"
Darius Syrossian, the UK DJ and producer of Armenian and Iranian heritage, has withdrawn from a run of scheduled US performances, citing President Donald Trump’s “race and nationality-based” travel restrictions.
Addressing the situation via Instagram, he stated: “I have serious concerns around travelling to the United States at this time.”
Trump, who returned to office in January 2025, subsequently introduced wide-ranging entry restrictions affecting nationals from 12 countries classified as “high-risk”, among them Iran, Libya, Sudan and Afghanistan.
Although individuals born in those countries who hold valid passports from other nations, including dual nationals, are technically exempt from the measures, Syrossian, who holds a UK passport and an O-1 work visa, said he had received “multiple first-hand accounts” from people “with the same documentation, and who were also born in the same country as me, experiencing significant difficulties upon arrival in the United States, including being refused entry.”
“This was not an easy decision,” he added, confirming that he will no longer appear at upcoming dates in Los Angeles, San Diego, New York and Miami Music Week.
“However, remaining silent or carrying on as if nothing is happening is not an option when discrimination is being normalised at the highest levels of government,” he continued. “I stand in solidarity with those impacted by the current administration’s policies and hope for a future in which everyone is treated with fairness, respect, and humanity.”
You can read Darius Syrossian’s full statement below.
