President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday that temporarily bans citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries as well as all refugees from entering the United States. The order became effective since last Friday at 4:42 in the afternoon, blocking entry from citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries which are: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen for 90 days.
Trump banned those countries from entering the U.S because he wants to make “new vetting measures to keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the United States of America.” Indonesia, Pakistan, and India have the highest Muslim populations in the world, yet they are not on the list. Apparently, the banning isn’t about the Muslims but the ‘type’ of Muslims.
Trump picked the countries that have the least political influence in the Arab league; also, let’s not forget the fact that those seven countries aren’t really engaged with U.S export-import partners. Which makes it sound like Trump only banned those countries as a formality to prove that he wasn’t lying during his presidential campaign. And now the order is in effect, resulting in thousands of refugees being detained, and denied entry when they actually have been living in the U.S for a long time and have green cards.
Let’s also talk about the fact that he justified banning those countries because he was worried about possible terrorists who might enter the U.S. This statement simply doesn’t check out since it should be a well-known fact that terrorists are not just from those countries. Maybe he forgot that the culprits of the biggest terrorism act in the U.S(9/11) were from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, and the UAE and none of them are on the list.
So why doesn’t Trump ban those countries? Well, countries like Saudi Arabia and Egypt are some of the U.S’ most important importers. For example, Saudi Arabia has contributed 1.9% of U.S imports while Egypt exports textile material to the U.S. This leads me to believe that Trump only banned countries who don’t bring benefits to the U.S.
Being the person that Trump is, he doesn’t appear to care what might be happening to those refugees that he banned. The same people who he has turned away might have a family here or may be here for their jobs or educations. He might not realize how this will impact their current lives and futures. It seems as if he only thinks that the only consequence of banning those seven Countries is ridding the U.S of terrorism. It doesn’t work that way, Donald.
There have been several studies and a plethora of academic literature that tell us what breeds a terrorist, and it is certainly not because of their faith, or their race. The social stigma of Muslims being terrorists is just plain wrong, and people should stop thinking that way. Trump’s actions are cruel and is stopping people from achieving their dreams in the U.S.
Who knows, one of the barred immigrants could just be the next Nobel Prize winner for finding the cure for cancer. Instead, this act is adding on to the generation of Muslim kids who have grown up being demonized and mocked because of the social stigma that ‘a Muslim is terrorist’. It only adds to the number of Rejections based on things that you can’t control.
These refugees are only seeking a haven because their country isn’t a safe place anymore for them to live. They come to get an education, to get a job. The United States, as a developed country and a member of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, should be helping them not selfishly taking their opportunities away.
