Donald Trump caused global chaos with his most recent executive order, which banned entry from seven Muslim countries. This action was bigoted and un-American. It was also unlikely to prevent any terrorist attacks.
When the order was issued, travelers from Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Yemen, Iraq, Iran and Syria were detained at airports and denied entry into the United States. This order applied to thousands of college students and refugees with valid visas. It applied to interpreters who risked their lives to serve our military. Even legal U.S. residents who hold green cards have been detained.
Trump says that immigrants from these countries pose a huge threat to our safety. He said his ban would stop major terrorist attacks. He’s wrong. According to an article published in the Wall Street Journal, not a single person from Syria, Libya or Sudan has been charged with jihadist terrorism-related crimes since Sept. 11. Out of the 180 people who have been charged, only 11 were from one of the remaining four countries.
Would this ban have prevented the San Bernardino attack? No. Syed Farook was born in Chicago. Would it have prevented the Orlando nightclub shooting? No. Omar Mateen was born in New York. Would it have prevented the Boston marathon bombing? No. Tamerlan Tsarnaev was born in Russia and Dzhokhar Tsarnae was born in Krygystan.
The ban would not even have prevented Sept. 11. The hijackers were from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon and the UAE. So what would the ban accomplished? It would have made the fight against ISIS even harder by alienating Iraq, an important ally. It would have forced some of our best students, particularly in the sciences, to leave the country. It would have given legitimacy to the idea that Syrian refugees are people to fear, instead of normal families who have lost everything.
The order was fear-mongering against Muslims and immigrants, which is unacceptable. Republicans in Congress should speak out against this travel ban, which was reversed by the courts. Congressman Scott Tipton was silent. Sen. Cory Gardner criticized the order, and I hope he will continue to do so.
Isabelle Farrell
Durango
