WASHINGTON: For those who were curious to know what a person with zero experience holding a political office would do when handed power, US President Donald Trump signed a new executive order last week sending international governments and activists in a frenzy. In an order that horrified human rights groups, Trump signed to suspend refugee arrivals and imposed tough new controls on travellers from seven Muslim countries. "This is big stuff," he said at the Pentagon after signing the order entitled 'Protection of the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States'.
"I'm establishing new vetting measures to keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the United States of America. Don't want them here. We only want to admit those into our country who will support our country and love deeply our people," he said. These new protocols will "ensure that those approved for refugee admission do not pose a threat to the security and welfare of the United States." Trump's decree will suspend the entire US refugee resettlement program for at least 120 days, as new and tough vetting rules are established. It also specifically bars Syrian refugees indefinitely, or until the President himself decides that they no longer pose a threat. In the meanwhile, no visas will be issued for 90 days to migrants or visitors from seven mainly-Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
Civil Liberties groups and other counter-terror experts blasted against the measures, declaring it inhumane to just dump the victims of conflict with the extremists who threaten them. Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union said, "Extreme vetting is just a euphemism for discriminating against Muslims." He said that by choosing countries with Muslim majorities for tougher treatment, Trump's order breaches the US Constitution's ban on religious discrimination. Ahmed Rehab, director of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said his group would keep mounting legal challenges to fight the order "tooth and nail". "It is targeting people based on their faith and national origin, and not on their character of their criminality," he said.
There are however, people who support the decision as measures necessary to prevent supporters of Al Qaida or the Islamic State group from infiltrating the US homeland disguised as refugees. The State Department, which with the Department of Homeland Security will have to soon implement the measures, and it said it was ready. "We will announce any chances affecting travellers to the United States as soon as that information is available. We take seriously our responsibility to safeguard the American public while remaining committed to assisting the world's most vulnerable people," said spokesman Mark Toner. During the past budget year, the US accepted 84,995 refugees, including 12,587 people from Syria. President Barack Obama had set the refugee limit for this budget year at 110,000. According to Trump's draft of the executive action, he plans to cut that to 50,000.
The draft order said that while the program is suspended, the US may admit people on a case-by-case basis "when in the national interest" and the government will continue to process refugee requests from people claiming religious persecution "provided that the religion is a minority religion in the individual's country". This just means, that it would allow Christians from Muslim-majority countries.
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin said, "History will judge where America's leaders stood today. Faced with the humanitarian crisis of our time, the United States cannot turn its back on children fleeing persecution, genocide and terror." The United States of America erupted with protests, yet again, courtesy their President Donald Trump, as activists including cab drivers, jammed terminals in New York and Washington airports. Washington became the first state to sue its Prez over the 'Muslim ban'. Tech giants from the Silicon Valley berated the Trump Administration, standing up in support of immigrants. "Apple would not exist without immigration, let alone thrive and innovate the way we do," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. He said he had "made it clear that Apple believes deeply in the importance of immigration- both to our company and to our nation's future."
Tesla's Elon Musk tweeted, "The blanket entry ban on citizens from certain primarily Muslim countries is not the best way to address the country's challenges. Many people negatively affected by this policy are strong supporters of the US. They've done right, not wrong & don't deserve to be rejected." Students, academics, sportsmen, all were immediately affected by the draft. Hollywood has been insanely vocal about it apprehensions of a Trump presidentship, and reacted strongly to reports. Filmmaker Rob Reiner tweeted, "Along with liar, racist, misogynist, fool, infantile, sick, narcissist, with the Muslim ban, we can now add heartless & evil to DT's reportoire."
Trudeau welcomes refugees home
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has a special message for refugees rejected by Donald Trump. "To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada," he wrote on micro-blogging website Twitter. Trudeau also posted a photo of him greeting a Syrian child at Toronto airport in 2015.
Spokeswoman for the PM, Kate Purchase said, "The Prime Minister is looking forward to discussing the successes of Canada's immigration and refugee policy with the President when they next speak." He is expected to visit the White House soon. Trudeau has refrained from criticising Trump to avoid offending the new Prez as Canada wants to avoid becoming a target. Conservative premier of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, Brad Wall offered his support to Trudeau. Toronto Mayor John Tory noted that the city was the most diverse in the world. "We understand that as Canadians, we are almost all immigrants, and that no one should be excluded on the basis of their ethnicity or nationality."
White house national security adviser Michael Flynn told Canada's national security adviser that holders of Canadian passports, including dual citizens, would not be affected. Earlier, the US had said that Canadians with dual citizenship from Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and Libya would be denied entry for 90 days. Trudeau later posted the statement on Twitter with a hashtag saying "#AcanadianIsACanadian".
Meanwhile the ban initiated by Donald Trump has been slammed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel saying it was "not justified" to target people based on background or religion. The government "will now examine the consequences" of the ban for German citizens with dual nationality, Merkel's spokesman said. "The Geneva Refugee Convention calls on the international community to take in war refugees on humanitarian grounds."
