Ellen DeGeneres uses 'Finding Dory' to comment on travel ban

The travel ban issued last week by President Donald Trump via executive order has drawn criticism and protests from people across the U.S. and around the world, including talk show host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres.

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Entertainment Weekly reported that DeGeneres opened her show Tuesday by saying, "If you haven't heard, this is what happened: Over the weekend, on Friday, the president gave an order banning people from seven countries, from people entering the United States … and then on Saturday the president screened 'Finding Dory' at the White House.

"I don't get political, but I will say I'm against one of those two things."

The executive order banned people from seven majority Muslim countries -- Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Iran -- from traveling to the United States.

"Like I said, I don't get political, so I'm not gonna talk about the travel ban," she said. "I'm just gonna talk about the very nonpolitical, family-friendly, People's Choice Award-winning, 'Finding Dory.'"

DeGeneres, who won a People's Choice Award for Favorite Animated Movie Voice for her part in the film Jan. 18, discussed the plot of the film, in which she provided the voice for the title character, to liken her character to those who may be affected by Trump's order.

"Dory lives in Australia, and these are her parents, and they live in America," she said. "And I don't know what religion they are, but her dad sounds a little Jewish. Doesn't matter."

Actor Eugene Levy, whose family is Jewish, voices Dory's father. Ellen continues:

"Dory arrives in America with her friends Marlin and Nemo," DeGeneres said. "She ends up at the Marine Life Institute behind a large wall. They all have to get over the wall, and you won't believe it, but that wall has almost no effect in keeping them out."

The wall is a clear reference to the U.S.-Mexico border wall that Trump promised to build throughout his campaign.

"Even though Dory gets into America, she ends up separated from her family, but the other animals help Dory," DeGeneres said. "Animals that don't even need her. Animals that don't have anything in common with her. They help her, even though they're completely different colors. Because that's what you do when you see someone in need — you help them."

DeGeneres said she hopes that's what viewers understand from watching the film.

Watch the monologue below:

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