Top News Today –
Muslim Ban Begins
With Executive Order
From Trump
Amid chaos and controversy, Donald Trump delivered on a campaign promise Saturday with a Muslim ban that has turned the country and the world completely upside down.
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In a weak attempt to convince detractors that he is safeguarding America from terrorism, Trump issued an executive order banning travel to the United States for at least the next 90 days to anyone from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen — or basically, all countries with a Muslim population.
Interestingly, Trump did not inflict his Muslim ban on the citizens of Saudi Arabia, despite the fact that each of the terrorists responsible for the horrific 9/11 attacks were from that specific country.
Needless to say, Trump’s actions have caused a ripple effect of anger and anxiety from sea to shining sea.
For the 2nd Saturday in a row, demonstrators took to the streets around the world to protest the actions of Donald Trump. Last week it was millions of women displaying their displeasure with Trump’s treatment of women. This week, it was anyone with a soul who believes the concept of banning an entire religion is completely un-American.
Trump’s ban not only included anyone with an active and valid travel visa, but those with valid and active green cards as well. This meant that anyone from the 7 aforementioned countries who traveled outside of the US to conduct business, visit family, or attend a funeral, would NOT be allowed back on American soil.
The Muslim ban caused an immediate backlog of travelers at JFK International Airport in New York City and at airports across the country. Travelers who had obtained the proper paperwork and purchased airline tickets were left stranded at US airports everywhere without many options of what to do next. Suffice it to say, the American public at large was not at all happy.
Demonstrations popped up at JFK and airports across the world in protest of Donald Trump and his Muslim ban. The scene at JFK was so intense, that police were forced to limit airport traffic to those travelers with valid airline tickets. However, that did not stop demonstrators, who simply moved their protests elsewhere.
The ban bars all citizens from countries named in a 2016 law concerning immigration visas as “countries of concern.” The executive order also bans entry of those fleeing from war-torn Syria indefinitely.
The Muslim ban stops the admission of all refugees to the United States for 4 months. Trump also suspended the Visa Interview Waiver Program, which allows travelers from 38 countries (including close allies) to renew travel authorizations without an in-person interview.
Fallout from the Muslim ban was swift and furious.
Immediately, Iran barred the entry of all American citizens into its country. Canada stepped up and opened its borders to whatever refugees the US refused to accept. American companies such as Google, Apple, and Facebook attempted to recall all foreign employees back to the United States. They also canceled all international travel for any employees from the banned countries. Professional and collegiate sports were left scrambling to secure a solution for those athletes who were now shut out of the US. Husbands were separated from wives. Mothers were separated from children.
As the New York Times reported on potential constitutional illegalities of the Muslim ban, Donald Trump took to Twitter with a firestorm of negativity.
“The failing @nytimes has been wrong about me from the very beginning. Said I would lose the primaries, then the general election. FAKE NEWS!,” he began.
He continued: “Thr [sic] coverage about me in the @nytimes and the @washingtonpost gas [sic] been so false and angry that the times actually apologized to its dwindling subscribers and readers.They got me wrong right from the beginning and still have not changed course, and never will. DISHONEST.”
“Somebody with aptitude and conviction should buy the FAKE NEWS and failing @nytimes and either run it correctly or let it fold with dignity!” he tweeted.
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Soon after the ban, a Texas mosque was destroyed by fire. Political leaders from both sides of the aisle also drew a line in the sand against Donald Trump.
Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona called the order “confused process” and warned it could aid the very enemy it was designed to guard against.
“I think the effect in some areas will give ISIS some more propaganda,” he said.
Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio also conceded problems with Trump’s handling of the rollout and called for a re-evaluation of the White House’s unilateral effort.
“You have an extreme vetting proposal that did not get the vetting it should have had,” Portman said, adding that Congress should be part of finding a solution that “makes sense for our national security and, again, for this notion that America has always been a welcoming home for refugees and immigrants.”
More Republicans, including Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska, and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine offered similar criticism of the Muslim ban.
By Saturday, the ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of 2 men who were detained at JFK Airport.
“America is the land of freedom,” Hameed Khalid Darweesh, who worked as an interpreter for the US during the Iraq War, said after being separated from his family at the airport.” America is the greatest nation.”
A federal judge in Brooklyn granted an emergency stay, freeing the 2 men who were detained and ruling against Trump’s executive action. Additionally, Judge Leonie M. Brinkema of the Federal District Court in Virginia issued a temporary restraining order for a week to block the removal of any green card holders being detained at Dulles International Airport.
Despite massive protests and federal court orders, Donald Trump said on Sunday that he believes in the ban and vows to press on regardless of what anyone else thinks or says.
God bless America!
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TAKE OUR POLL:
"Elections have Consequences"….- Pres. Barack Obama, Jan. 2009 (Sigh)….the end of his quote is as follows: .."and at the end of the day, {Trump} won." It will probably take years, if not decades, for Us (this nation) to recover from the damage that dangerous fool has already done. TAC Reader: Bottom line this was executed with maximum stupidity and incompetence. A hallmark of this administration. And I am glad an army of lawyers is already mobilized especially to protect the rights of legitimate green card holders. […] TAC Reader: Even in the most generous interpretation, how can you possibly exclude Afghanistan, a country where there is an active civil war with ISIS, Al Qaeda, and the Taliban participating? Having Iran on the list while keeping Saudi Arabia off the list is just one obvious hypocrisy but that just serves a political purpose and more or less preserves the status quo.… Read more »