Jan.27/2017: Just the facts of the matter at hand!
"How, though, did the Trump administration choose these seven Muslim-majority countries? The truth is it didn't: The countries were chosen during Barack Obama's presidency.
According to the draft copy of Trump's executive order, the countries whose citizens are barred entirely from entering the United States is based on a bill that Obama signed into law in December 2015.
Quoting from Trumps executive order
- Ban for 30 days all “immigrant and nonimmigrant” entry of individuals from countries designated in Division O, Title II, Section 203 of the 2016 consolidated appropriations act: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen. These countries were targeted last year in restrictions on dual nationals’ and recent travelers’ participation in the visa waiver program.
These countries, the one that Trump is allegedly banning refugees from, were targeted under the Obama Administration- Signed into law December 2015.
"Thursday’s announcement is an expansion of a law passed late last year, which revoked the visa-waiver status of people who had recently traveled to Iraq, Syria, Iran or Sudan, and who hold dual citizenship with any of those four countries"
The Obama administration expanded on a previous law.. to include Iraq, Syria, Iran and Sudan. Libya, Somalia and Yemen were already included.December 08/2015: Here's the vote!FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 679(Republicans in roman; Democrats in italic; Independents underlined)
H R 158 2/3 YEA-AND-NAY 8-Dec-2015 5:18 PM QUESTION: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended BILL TITLE: Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015
YeasNaysPRESNVRepublican2423Democratic165194IndependentTOTALS407197 Understand? The Obama administration's 2015 Waiver Program set the parameters for the Trump Bill.
Obama signed the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act as part of an omnibus spending bill. The legislation restricted access to the Visa Waiver Program, which allows citizens from 38 countries who are visiting the United States for less than 90 days to enter without a visa.
Let's follow the link embedded in the above paragraphIt takes us here
On January 21, the U.S. State Department began implementing changes to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. Citizens of 38 countries, including many E.U. states, do not need visas to travel to the United States. But the new measure bars citizens of those countries who are also dual nationals of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Sudan from participating in the program. Those who have travelled to those four countries since 2011 also cannot participate, according to some interpretations.
The change was first proposed by Congress to make it more difficult for terrorists who hold E.U. or other citizenships to enter the United States. House Resolution 158 passed 407 to 19 on December 8.
Though outside groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union and NIAC Action — the sister organization of the National Iranian American Council — opposed the act, the bipartisan bill passed through Congress with little pushback.
At the initial signing of the restrictions, foreigners who would normally be deemed eligible for a visa waiver were denied if they had visited Iran, Syria, Sudan or Iraq in the past five years or held dual citizenship from one of those countries.
In February 2016, the Obama administration added Libya, Somali and Yemen to the list of countries one could not have visited — but allowed dual citizens of those countries who had not traveled there access to the Visa Waiver Program. Dual citizens of Syria, Sudan, Iraq and Iran are still ineligible, however.
So, in a nutshell, Obama restricted visa waivers for those seven Muslim-majority countries — Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen — and now, Trump is looking to bar immigration and visitors from the same list of countries.
When this passed under Obama, it was passed quietly- However when Trump passes a bill based on the Obama administrations previous laws it's a big deal? Why? I feel this frenzy is being whipped up by the media to create division and diversion.Division? Right vs Left. Women vs Men. Refugees vs Citizens. Etc., Typical identity politics garbage! It's the DIVERSION that worries me Trumps executive order also tasks the secretary of defense to draft a plan for the establishment of safe zones in Syria...
Establish “safe zones to protect vulnerable Syrian populations.” The executive order tasks the secretary of defense with drafting a plan for safe zones in Syria within 90 days. This would be be an escalation of U.S. involvement in Syria and could be the first official indication of how Trump will approach the conflict there.
As mentioned the other day: Updated! Trump to Order Plan for Syria "Safe Zones": DocumentYes, this will offer us all an official indication of how the Trump government will approach the destabilization of Syria! We'll know in 90 days.Flashback- June 17/2016: US General: We Are Ready To Create a No-Fly Zone in Syria
The U.S. Air Force is ready to create a no-fly zone in Syria, as stated by General David Goldfein, Rosbalt reported.
Goldfein stressed that the establishment of such a zone will protect civilians from bombing.(safe zone)
Additionally the executive order does this...
Expedite the completion of a biometric entry-exit tracking system for all visitors to the U.S.
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