On Friday, January 27th, Trump signed an executive order temporarily barring Syrian refugees and people from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Citizens of these seven countries will be kept from entering the U.S. for the next 90 days. Syrian refugees will not be admitted into the United States for the next 120 days. Worldwide, people are arguing that this order is extremely harmful, unlawful and against all values that make up the very foundation of the United States of America.
Note that ZERO refugees from the countries included in the ban (Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan) have killed anyone in terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.
Stairs serve as a bigger threat.
Here’s how people are reacting to the ban:
Protests
Protests broke out across the country after the detention of two Iraqis at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Saturday, January 28th. People made posters and fought against this controversial ban, demanding for an end to hateful and discriminatory acts taken upon Muslims. Protesters sang, “This land is your land, this land is my land” to express how the US is supposed to be the land of the free and that we are all human beings, no matter how we differ in religion and origin. The protesters expressed that Islam is not synonymous with terrorism and that refugees and the people coming from these countries are escaping violence and war and do not pose as a threat.
Starbucks
Starbucks is known to take part in many causes to help those in need. They support the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), which helps undocumented immigrants, of whom were brought to the United States as children, get their driver’s licenses, attend college and eventually obtain secure jobs. In response to the executive order, the CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, announced a plan to hire 10,000 refugees over the next five years in the 75 countries that Starbucks does business in. Schultz states that, “We [Starbucks] are in business to inspire and nurture the human spirit, one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.”
Canada
In response to this executive order, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sent out a series of tweets stating that refugees are always welcome in Canada. One tweet stated that Canada’s doors are always open to those fleeing from persecution, terror and war, regardless of their faith. In another tweet, Trudeau was pictured greeting a young Syrian refugee with the caption #WelcomeToCanada. Since Trudeau took office in 2015, Canada has taken in 40,000 Syrian refugees.
Senator John McCain and Senator Lindsey Graham
Even famous Republicans have spoken out against the order on immigration. The senators released a statement on Sunday, January 29th stating that the order was done way too hastily and was not properly vetted, as there was little to no consultation with the Departments of State, Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security. Both McCain and Graham felt that this order goes against the values our nation holds stating, “Our government has a responsibility to defend our borders, but we must do so in a way that makes us safer and upholds all that is decent and exceptional about our nation.” The two senators also expressed that they “fear this executive order will become a self-conflicted wound in the fight against terrorism” in that it promotes the idea that the United States is rejecting those of the Islamic faith, the very idea that ISIS has been attempting to promote.
President Obama
In response to the immigration ban and the many protests taking place across the country, Obama spoke out for the first time since his term ended through his spokesman Kevin Lewis. The statement says that Obama “fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith or religion.” Lewis also adds that Obama is “heartened by the level of engagement taking place in communities around the country,” and believes that “Citizens exercising their constitutional right to assemble, organize and have their voices heard by their elected officials is exactly what we expect to see when American values are at stake.”
Attorney General Sally Yates
Sally Yates refused to defend Trump’s executive order on Monday, January 30th. In a letter to Justice Department lawyers, Yates states, “At present, I am not convinced that the defense of the executive order is consistent with these responsibilities, nor am I convinced that the executive order is lawful.” Trump later fired Yates as Attorney General, through a hand-written letter, for not defending the order. The White House states, “Yates has betrayed the Department of Justice.” However, many see Yates’ actions as heroic, in that she fought for what she believed was right, just, and lawful rather than just blindly supporting everything the president does.
It is important, now more than ever, to stand up for what is right and oppose what is unconstitutional. We are all human beings, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, religion and beliefs. The very reason the United States is great is because of its diversity and the foundation of freedom it’s built upon. Let’s continue to set an example of this freedom and let others in.