The official student news site of Athens Drive High School

ATHENS ORACLE

The official student news site of Athens Drive High School

ATHENS ORACLE

The official student news site of Athens Drive High School

ATHENS ORACLE

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The Travel Ban created by President Donald Trump goes against Americans common law

After only 10 days in office, President Donald Trump made the executive decision to suspend the resettlement of Syrian refugees and temporarily ban people from seven predominantly Muslim nations (Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen) from entering the United States. This is not only cruel but immoral.

The executive order released Jan. 28, 2017 was titled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign terrorist entry into the United States.”  This stopped many refugees from returning to work and their homelands. The order begins by citing 9/11 as a failure of the “visa-issuance process.”

“To be clear, this is not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely reporting. This is not about religion- this is about terror and keeping our country safe,” said Trump.

As many have come to expect from Trump, nearly every word of that sentence is false.  It is a Muslim ban, it is about religion, it is not about terror, and it is not about keeping America safe.

Refugees are not the people America should be afraid of.  According to a Cato Institute report, 784,000 refugees resettled in the United States over the last 15 years and three have been arrested for planning terrorist activities.

Between 1975 and 2016, zero Americans were killed on American soil by foreign nationals from any of the seven countries on Trump’s banned list. The ban includes America’s most vital ally in the fight against ISIS, Iraq. Iraq has now threatened to retaliate against the executive order by banning U.S. nationals from entering Iraq, putting America’s war against ISIS in great peril.

By signing this executive order, Trump crossed a line. He made a cruel act that was designed to hurt and divide thousands of families. The United States is known as a nation of laws, immigrants and freedom.  Trump’s order violates all three identities.  Although the ban is only for 90 days, many people believe that Trump will not stop there.

Many people would not be here if it were not for previous immigration laws. In fact, America would currently not have a first lady. Native Americans were the original colonists of America.

The executive order has backfired.  The reaction against the ban has been inspiring.  The legal action sends a vital message about due process, and so do the rallies and welcoming demonstrations at airports. This is a stand up and be counted moment for all, and both things need to happen.

So, to be clear, this is a Muslim ban. It is about religion. It is not about terror. It does not keep our country safe.

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