With the news that America’s federal judges have eliminated Trump’s travel ban, a great victory took place — much to Trump’s chagrin. Our power-hungry 45th president has certainly wielded his executive power in the less-than-a-month since he took office, casting an even larger shadow of doubt over not only Trump’s capability as president but also his mental stability. However, as Trump signs order after order — some of which, like the “Muslim” ban, are met with eventual defeat — my friends and many other people, including myself, have been wondering: How is any of this legal? This week, I decided to take a closer look at Trump’s presidency to see exactly how his racist rhetoric is being transformed into potential laws, and how citizens can effectively voice their responses.
1. Travel ban
This supposed travel ban for our “nation’s security” was a thinly veiled attempt to create a legitimate Islamaphobic law. Though it was deemed unacceptable, it’s still worrying that the “Muslim” ban was even a possibility. According to The Washington Post, the only reason Trump was able to create the executive order was due to the legal prowess of Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York. Apparently, Trump contacted Giuliani asking him how to “make a Muslim ban” but do it “legally.” Giuliani claimed they evaded outright discrimination by “focusing on danger rather than religion” and basing it on “what countries were sending terrorists into [America]”; however, people weren’t fooled. Statistics show that none of the countries where refugees are coming from have allowed terrorists into America (due to an already extreme vetting process). Maybe not so curiously, the countries where most terrorists statistically come from were not on the ban — mainly because Trump conducts businesses in those nations. However, this ban was inexcusable — despite Trump’s attempts to veil his vitriolic hatred of Muslims, he was unable to make this ban hold up in court.
2. Reinstating Defunding of Abortion/Women’s Health Services
Though this executive order, known as the “Mexico City Policy”, is not a new law, Trump’s order takes it much further. According to the UK Independent, the original policy bans government funding to U.S. charities based in other countries — charities that provide safe abortions for women in developing countries. Trump’s executive order is especially devastating as it cuts funding for programs unrelated to abortion, including those providing access to contraception. Unfortunately, it is within the president’s rights to cut funding to helpful programs like these — but the consequences will be devastating. Women will face a higher risk of unsafe abortions and pregnancies. It is also a precursor for the eventual debate over Roe v. Wade, a constitutional right that Trump will be sure to challenge.
3. Dakota Access Pipeline
Trump has made it clear that the environment is a low priority in his presidency — even hiring a climate change denier, Rick Perry, as his secretary of energy. Though the building of the Dakota Access pipeline was a controversial issue during Obama’s presidency, it was eventually scrapped. Trump’s order to begin construction ignores not only environmental concerns, but also the safety of those the pipeline will affect. And if you weren’t already convinced that Trump is attempting to destroy the environment, he not only removed informational pages about the environment from the White House website, but he also cut funding to the Environmental Protection Agency. His deliberate attempts to hide knowledge from the American public only signal the beginning of a questionable tenure in office.
4. “Alternative Facts”/Manipulation of Media
Jumping off of Trump’s manipulation of access to information about the environment, Trump and his administration have been tirelessly attempting to target the media. From falsifying inauguration crowd sizes to inventing a terrorist attack, it is completely justified to say that Trump’s lies are disturbing. The media is holding him accountable — for now. But it is clear that Trump hopes to gain control of the media and point it in his favor. So far, his lies have proven to be aiding his agenda of discrimination — and no, that’s not an “alternative fact”. We have a presidential administration that is intentionally lying to us and trying to manipulate the media, and we must not let that happen.
The everyday citizen is the greatest tool for the next years. From protests such as the Women’s March to the future Scientists’ March, we can show that we stand up for the minorities. We will not let Donald Trump turn our country into an unwelcoming land of hatred. We will not let an administration claim that “lies are facts” in order to soothe a broken ego. So, though most of Trump’s orders are crafted to avoid the question of legality, do not let that stop you from voicing your concerns. Call your state representatives, protest if you are able, and never fail to hold the president accountable for his lies. Change starts with the everyday person, and it starts with you.