BY KESHAN HUANG & SHAYDA SHEVIDI
Muslims Not Welcome?
OPINION: Trump and Clinton are pitting one group of people against another, avoiding what really matters: policy
Turns out President Donald J. Trump is finally putting words, promises, and Tweets into action. But, for the worst.
Islamophobia has been at the core of his campaign and beliefs, so it is no surprise that that irrational fear is embodied in one of the most controversial of the 22 executive orders that he’s signed within his first few weeks in office.
Masked as the “Protection Of The Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into The United States,” this executive order is essentially the Muslim ban that everyone said would not actually be implemented.
The order suspended the U.S. Refugees Admission Program for 120 days and blocked all persons from select “terror-prone” countries from entering the United States for 90 days, causing chaos at U.S. points of entry—especially airports.
Ironically, no act of terror committed on U.S. soil since 9/11 has involved a person who immigrated from any of the seven of the affected countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Sudan, and Yemen.
Trump has signed the most useless executive order ever in terms of national security; he has also detrimentally affected the lives of innocent refugees and families across the world.
The ban itself was put on hold by the courts around the country. On Thursday, Feb. 8 the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to reinstate President Trump’s ban.
Because the ban unjustly targets Muslims, the federal appeals court said that it raised “serious allegations” and posed “significant constitutional questions.”
The United States has traditionally let in more refugees than any other country in the world. Letting refugees into the country is our not only a moral obligation but also a humanitarian and diplomatic duty. Human rights organizations and advocacy groups have slammed Trump for a policy that is contrary to American ideals.
“I hereby proclaim that the entry of nationals of Syria as refugees is detrimental to the interests of the United States and thus suspend any such entry,” reads Trump’s order.
On the Friday following the the executive order, many travelers who fit the criteria of the ban and had already been in the air were detained upon arrival at airports across the US. Others with valid visas and airline tickets were prevented from boarding planes that were heading for the United States as airline officials desperately rushed to comply with the new immigration policy.
At LAX airport—less than two days after the order was signed—Iranian-American Hossein Khoshbakhti was in uncontrollable tears as his brother was denied entry.
“The American and Iranian relations have been affected already. But we are people, we are not the government,” he Khoshbakhti said in between heavy sobs. “Why do I have to be punished for someone else’s problem? I didn’t do anything wrong.”
US fencing bronze medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad was also held by the US Customs and Border Protection Services without any explanation, expressing her belief that it had to do with her Muslim name—despite her being a US citizen.
“I don’t know why. I can’t tell you why it happened to me, but I know that I’m Muslim. I have an Arabic name,” Muhammad said. “And even though I represent Team USA and I have that Olympic hardware, it doesn’t change how you look and how people perceive you.”
Thousands of protesters have rallied at many airport across the country protesting the order. Signs reading “No hate! No fear Muslims are welcome here!” and “America welcomes all!” accompanied chants of anger and despair.
The First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” The Trump administration’s ban seems to contrary to the Constitution .
As a country that has celebrated people of all different background, the Muslim Ban makes America look bad in the eyes of the world.