We all did. He was one of us. President Trump's recent executive order on Muslim refugees
and immigrants works to ensure that such a dream never comes
true. Muslim allies, including interpreters like Suge in Iraq
and Afghanistan, have done more for the United States during
the past 16 years of war than most Americans will even think
of doing their entire lives. Yet we're abandoning them in
their hour of need, wrapping ourselves up in a big, billowing
flag of fear and pretending it's for safety. We're also
abandoning Middle Eastern refugees fleeing the very
terrorists we've professed to combat, who have seen their
homes and lives destroyed and now seek shelter on our shores
the same way immigrants have for generations. This is a national disgrace. The president's executive
order betrays American values and weakens our national
security all at once. Our country was founded as a haven. Trump and his administration seem intent on turning it into a
medieval fortress. In November, shortly after the election, I joined a
nonpartisan group in Washington, D.C., to advocate for Muslim
refugees and immigrants--Veterans For American Ideals, a
project of Human Rights First. There was a gray pall over the
city, and a deep sense of uncertainty for what awaited, even
in Republican offices. No one knew then what we all know now:
Trump really did mean to do what he'd said on the campaign
trail. Time and time again, Democrats and Republicans alike told
us the United States already has in place the best and most
thorough refugee and immigrant screening process on the
planet. A prominent Republican adviser assured us that
Trump's ``extreme vetting'' idea was just a ploy to rustle up
votes. A national security official suggested that we should
be more thankful Congress
had saved the Special Immigrant Visa program for interpreters
and translators who served with the US military, and
maintained that the amount of issued visas was sufficient,
despite the overflowing backlog of requests. A shouting match ensued. Enraged veterans can have our own
sort of diplomatic style.
Keywords matched
immigrants Immigrant visas refugee Visa immigrant refugees