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By: Ashley Summerfield
@ash_summerfield
The Muslim ban and what comes next
The United States of America has been known as the “Land of opportunity”, the “Land of the free”, and the “melting pot” of the world, but that may change soon. People from around the world are free to travel into the U.S., unless you’re from Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, or Iraq. Let’s not forget non-Americans who have traveled to any of those 7 countries since March 2011, as well.
In the days since the inauguration, President Donald Trump has been busy, pen in hand, writing his signature on executive orders. One of the many controversial orders that Trump has signed is a Muslim travel ban. On top of sparking mass confusion in airports around the country, no one really knows what the terms of this so called “travel ban” are and how it will affect us.
In addition to banning seven countries from entering the U.S., the executive order inhibits refugees from setting foot in the U.S. for the next 120 days. This order will also grant preference to Christian refugees from the Middle East over those who are Muslim.
Under this order, green-card holders were also initially prohibited from entering the U.S. According to CNN, the President’s administration has now changed its stance on cardholders. Green-card holders will be allowed admittance into the U.S., only after an intensive secondary screening process involving an interview and fingerprints taken.
“Only 109 people out of 325,000 were detained and held for questioning. Big problems at airports were caused by Delta computer outage,” Trump said in a recent tweet.
These numbers may seem very low to you, that’s because they are. Trump added a suspicious claim that Delta caused the issues in order to distract from the real problem.
Trump’s “alternative facts” may seem shocking, but I’m not the least bit surprised. Many thought that Trump’s radical ideas would cease following his election in November, but in his short time in the White House he has since acted on several top issues of controversy.
Let’s note that Trump’s use of executive orders is no different than that of the presidents before him. What is much different, though, is the severe impact that they will have on each person in this country and those around the world.
Along with infringing on basic human rights, this ban has the potential to severely affect the economy of the US. According to the U.S. Travel Association, one-ninth of all jobs in the US are reliant on tourism.
The United States of America is a true “melting pot” which is just one of the factors that makes is so unique. There is no national language or religion. It is truly the “Land of the free”. Infringing on this not only hurts the American culture, but also will have a lasting affect on our international relations.
Following the inauguration of President Trump, there has been an ongoing fear amongst both international students and domestic students who wish to have international experiences. In the coming years, opportunities to study abroad may be significantly affected. This infringes on the opportunity for all students, foreign and domestic, to become culturally versed.
This “Muslim” travel ban is anticipated to be the first of many bans against citizens of other countries entering the U.S. Many, myself included, are fearful of what comes next. These bans may have the intentions of combating terrorism, but in reality they will change the entire dynamic of diversity in the U.S.
