Angelina Jolie has warned about Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban targeted at Muslim-majority countries, saying that policy “should be based on facts, not fear”.

In an article penned for the New York Times and published on Thursday (February 2nd), the 41 year old humanitarian activist expressed her anger at president Trump’s executive order, which was signed last week and has caused havoc.

“Americans have shed blood to defend the idea that human rights transcend culture, geography, ethnicity and religion,” she wrote in the essay. “The decision to suspend the resettlement of refugees to the United States and deny entry to citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries has been met with shock by our friends around the world precisely because of this record.”

Angelina JolieAngelina Jolie penned an essay criticising Donald Trump's immigration executive order

Jolie is, of course, the mother of three children who were adopted from various countries, and she wrote that she was concerned for their future.

More: “Explosive” film about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s divorce in the works

“I very much want our country to be safe for them, and all our nation’s children,” she continued. “But I also want to know that refugee children who qualify for asylum will always have a chance to plead their case to a compassionate America.”

Many stars have vented their anger at Trump’s controversial ban, which suspended the US refugee system for people from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days, and from Syria permanently. However, Jolie’s own father, Jon Voight, spoke in support of Trump at his pre-inauguration concert.

“The global refugee crisis and the threat from terrorism make it entirely justifiable that we consider how best to secure our borders,” Jolie’s essay conceded. However, she is adamant that policy should not be based on prejudice. “Every government must balance the needs of its citizens with its international responsibilities. But our response must be measured and should be based on facts, not fear.”

More: Donald Trump threatens UC Berkeley with federal de-funding after Milo Yiannopoulos talk cancelled