Current events in American politics

On Friday 27th January 2017, President Trump signed a temporary immigration and travel ban. The executive order provisionally bans entry by any traveler from seven Muslim-majority states into the United States. The countries in question are Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. According to Belvedere (Para 2), the order termed as a counter-terrorist move aims at enhancing the national security of the U.S and a process of eliminating terrorist threats in the country. The travel ban represents selective and discriminatory views because it singles out nationals from certain countries due to concern for terror activities.  According to Amaro (Para 3), the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations has also termed the executive order as a “Muslim ban” that does not protect people escaping extremism and violence from those countries. Further, all refugees admission from Syria have been halted indefinitely as a matter of national security, and the order has caused a major rift between the Democrats and the Republicans.

The Republicans, as well as, Homeland Security have defended the immigration ban calling it a temporary pause necessary in protecting the lives of the American citizens as a permanent solution is sought (The Press Para 1). However, various groups like Human Rights activists, investors, and Muslim associations have expressed concerned for the discriminatory law that has seen many refugees kept from entering the United States and others deported.  Many CEO’s have denounced the order through internal memo’s as well as publicly calling for fairness and inclusion (Wattles et al Para 2). Additionally, protesters marched on the streets and stormed various international airports across the country to show solidarity with the refugees and the Muslim-world (The Times Para 2)).

The order grants priority to Christians and other religious denominations over Muslims looking to enter the United States. The President adopted the law as a security measure to fight against the same evil that the American soldiers overseas are fighting. Immigration officials were tasked to add strict vetting procedures such as screening refugees who may pose a threat to the national security of the country (Cooper and Shear Para 3-6)

My interpretation and conclusion of the immigration and travel ban by President Trump is that the issue of immigration ban does not denote a political item but a legislative, executive order. However, the politicians have transformed the issue into a political issue so as to sensitize the public as well as to gain popularity from the people. The Democrats and the Republican have interpreted the order in different ways such that the former says it is a discriminatory Muslim ban while the latter explains the bar as a national security matter. Various associations and officials have also offered insight into the order.

The matter construed as a furtherance of a 2011 policy rolled out by the former president banning visas for Iraqi refugees for six months and imposing immigration restrictions. However, there are fundamental differences between the two systems based on the scope of implementation and the intent. The 2011 policy was reacting to a specific threat while president Trump’s order is a pre-empting a potential threat. The issue riddle with complexities such as the refugee’s crisis in Syria and the seemingly discriminatory nature of the law. Therefore, the implementation of the ban has wreaked havoc in the U.S and the world.

Boost your grades with a new guide on A+ writing

Learn everything you need about academic writing for free!

Incorrect email. Please check it and try again.

Get it

By continuing, you agree to the Terms & conditions & Privacy policy

Time to excel in writing! The download will start within seconds.

Download

However, the issue could emanate from a security perspective address. The U.S has faced various terror threats since 9/11, and there is also the problem of ISIS whose extremist activities have increased in the recent year. Thus, it is natural to react with a temporary and specific travel ban until the security bodies find a long-term solution. The immigration ban is significant because it focuses on an issue that is directly facing all the nations in the world. Terror threats, extremism, and violence have become prevalent with groups such as ISIS, Al Shabaab, and Al Qaeda among others being on the rise globally.

The accuracy of my statement could gain validation by reading various articles and reviews of the Immigration ban executive order. The information I have provided is relevant because it addresses the main points outlined by the ban order and the various reactions elicited from different groups across the United States. The conclusion offers my interpretation from the facts drawn out from various newspaper articles, and it addresses the complexities of the immigration ban and the alternative viewpoint to the executive order. I believe my statement is fair because it takes into account diverse perspectives and explains the reasoning behind each of the group’s views. Thus, I am not distorting any information to get a certain point across but rather focusing on the issue as a whole.