Donald Trump has been President for less than 10 days and he has already caused mass chaos in airports across America. His executive order went into effect on Saturday which temporarily bans the entry of people trying to get into the United States coming from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen. Trump said during his campaign that in order to combat terrorism he wanted to ban Muslims from entering the United States.
The aforementioned countries are all predominantly Muslim nations.
But included in the new president’s executive order are VISA holders, green card holders, and permanent resident’s of the United States who have a legal right to be here. Refugees and asylum seekers from the mentioned countries are also part of the ban. Even military interpreters can’t get visa’s, they must stay in their countries and face retaliation for working with the American Government.
In fact, no Visa’s are being granted whatsoever for inhabitants of the affected nations.
Airports are in disarray because the order was put into action without notice. So even VISA holders, Green Card holders etc. that were already physically on flights to America were held up at terminals once they arrived if they were coming from one of the affected nations.
On Monday acting Attorney General Sally Q. Yates ordered the Department of Justice to not defend Trump’s order according to the NY Times.
Pertaining to her decision, Yates had this to say:
“For as long as I am the acting attorney general, the Department of Justice will not present arguments in defense of the executive order, unless and until I become convinced that it is appropriate to do so.
I am responsible for ensuring that the positions we take in court remain consistent with this institution’s solemn obligation to always seek justice and stand for what is right. 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.”
Many people with full-time jobs in America are stuck because of Trump’s executive order. Some are even full time students at American universities who are out of the country studying abroad.
Google has 187 workers stuck in foreign countries right now because of the ban, the Washington Post reports.
Google CEO, Sundar Pichai blasted Trump’s executive order saying:
“It’s painful to see the personal cost of this executive order on our colleagues. We’re upset about the impact of this order and any proposals that could impose restrictions on Googlers and their families, or that could create barriers to bringing great talent to the US.”
Nazanin Zinouri, 29, is a PHD graduate of Clemson University. She works for Modjoul, a startup technology firm. Zinouri has lived in America since 2010 and has a Visa. She is in Iran visiting family for 3 weeks where she is originally from. But because of the President’s executive order Zinouri is forced to stay in Iran and can not return to America for now.
When Zinouri first learned of the ban, she hurried to try to find a flight to America before the ban went into effect, but weather problems delayed her flights. The furthest she was able to make it to was Dubai.
In a statement, Zinouri had this to say about the executive order:
“My story will be much like others who dedicated their lives to their dream — the American dream — and whose intentions and lives were turned upside down on Friday without notice or reason.”
Even republicans have discord with Trump’s executive order.
Republican Senator Thom Tillis says:
“While the executive order does take immediate action aimed at tightening the refugee screening process, there is a lot of confusion surrounding the order, particularly given the instances of green card holders inexplicably being denied entry back into the United States. Implementation of the order should be refined to provide more clarity and mitigate unintended consequences that do not make our country any safer.”
Nazanin Zinouri (Credit: AP)
In a joint statement Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and Republican U.S. Senator John McCain said this:
“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.
It is clear from the confusion at our airports across the nation that President Trump’s executive order was not properly vetted. We are particularly concerned by reports that this order went into effect with little to no consultation with the Departments of State, Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security.
Such a hasty process risks harmful results.
Ultimately, we fear this executive order will become a self-inflicted wound in the fight against terrorism. At this very moment, American troops are fighting side-by-side with our Iraqi partners to defeat ISIL. But this executive order bans Iraqi pilots from coming to military bases in Arizona to fight our common enemies. Our most important allies in the fight against ISIL are the vast majority of Muslims who reject its apocalyptic ideology of hatred. This executive order sends a signal, intended or not, that America does not want Muslims coming into our country. That is why we fear this executive order may do more to help terrorist recruitment than improve our security.”
Military Interpreters
Left: U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Zachary Bennett speaks with Afghan interpreter in Afghanistan (Credit: Brennan Linsley, AP)
Hameed Khalid Darweesh worked with the U.S. government in Iraq for 10 years. He was detained at JFK airport in New York shortly after the order went into effect. 19 hours later he was finally released only after the American Civil Liberties Union filed a swift lawsuit in his favor.
At a glance, the State Department reported that in middle 2016 there were more than 800 applicants who worked with the U.S. military that were on the waiting list for Iraqi special immigrant visas. There was an additional 58,000 Iraqis who worked with the U.S. government, nonprofits, media outlets etc. who were in consideration to get into America via the Direct Access program. But, Trump’s executive order kisses all of that away.
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