Trump’s Immigration Ban: Alienating Friends, Emboldening Enemies

On January 27, President Donald Trump signed an executive order preventing citizens of seven Muslim majority countries – Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Iran, Sudan and Libya – from entering the US for at least 90 days. He has also put a halt on the refugee resettlement programme for 120 days and barred Syrian refugees indefinitely – with a caveat that religious minorities in the countries affected may still be resettled in the US. The immediate result has been chaos and uncertainty. At airports, refugees, visa-holders, legal citizens, and non-US dual citizens were detained, prevented from boarding planes, and forced to leave the US. Trump claims that these new measures are part of an effort to “keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the United States of America.”

Protests against the ban immediately sprang up at airports across the US, with lawyers also making themselves available to people affected and stuck in transit. There have been multiple legal rulings against the ban and cases are being brought to court across the US. Overseas, many countries are considering reciprocal measures. Iran, has already banned several US citizens in response. Ominously, this may only be the start of a wider ban against other Muslim majority countries. The executive order specifically invites the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State to give Trump additional countries to put on the ban list.

The reality is that this executive order unfairly targets Muslims and the vulnerable, and does nothing to provide additional security from terrorism. Refugees in particular are fleeing their homes because they have practically no other options. To stay in their country of origin may entail continued abuse, discrimination, and perhaps even death. Resettlement can often be a lifesaver for these people. Unfortunately, it appears that Trump is unaware of his obligations under international refugee law and is unwilling to adhere to basic principles of human decency. German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, purportedly had to explain to Trump what the Geneva Conventions – the foundation of international humanitarian law – are. The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, stated that Trump’s executive actions are “against the fundamental principles and values on which our societies are based.” Trump’s lack of understanding and dismissal of human rights is disturbing and dangerous.

A nonsensical policy

The US already had one of the world’s most stringent selection procedures for new arrivals. The refugee screenings included thorough background checks conducted by numerous security agencies, medical screenings, interviews, and the collection of biometric data. During Obama’s tenure, it would sometimes take up to two years for a refugee to be fully vetted and resettled in the US. The additional measures enacted by Trump offer no feasible security benefit. Not a single person has been killed on US soil in a terrorist attack since 9/11 from any citizens of the seven countries that were banned. 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were Saudis, but Saudi Arabia does not appear on the ban list – conspicuously, Trump has left off states that he has done business with. The administration has also failed to make an effort to target terrorism emanating from non-Muslims. A report by the New America Foundation indicates that right-wing terrorist attacks carried out on US territory have killed a similar number of people to Jihadist attacks since 9/11, and that most of these attacks are carried out by people who are legal residents or born in the US.

It seems that Trump is more concerned with scapegoating Muslims than safeguarding against terrorism. The immigration and refugee ban was exceptionally rash. Trump did not consult with key relevant officials before making the decision to issue this executive order. Astonishingly, the Secretary of Defence was not made aware of the draft until mere hours before it was signed. Trump has fundamentally misunderstood the nature of the security threat to the US from foreign terrorism and as a result he has massively overreacted with a nonsensical policy. Terror attacks account for a minuscule amount of all the murders committed in the US. A recent report from the Cato Institute, found that the likelihood of a person in the US being killed, by an immigrant initiated terrorist attack, is only one in 3.64 million. Americans are far more likely to be killed chocking on their own food.

History will not judge Trump kindly

Trump’s isolationism is not entirely unique. In an infamous case, the US turned away a ship, the SS Saint Lewis, carrying 937 Jewish refugees. Those refugees were fleeing persecution from the Nazi government in Germany. President Roosevelt prevented the ship from docking in Florida and as a result they were forced to return to Europe. Many of the refugees on board subsequently died in the Holocaust. The decision to turn away Jewish refugees has not been looked upon kindly by history. In a policy reversal the US has been a world leader, since the Second World War, in resettling refugees – 3 million since 1975, according to the US State Department. Indeed under the 1951 Refugee Convention it is required that that the US gives refugees protection from violence and persecution.

Trump’s ban has come to fruition during the worst refugee crisis since the Second World War. Resettling refugees assists US partners and allies who are struggling to provide adequate resources for their own large refugee inflows. The US has not received anywhere near the number of refugees accepted by some of its European allies – in Germany alone, 441,900 refugees registered for applications in 2015. However, the real brunt of the refugee crisis is being taken by Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan. Turkey alone has taken in a staggering 2.8 million Syrian refugees. It is imperative that wealthy developed countries, like the US, share more of the burden for the refugee crisis.

Alienating friends, emboldening enemies

Trump’s executive order serves as a recruitment tool for jihadist terrorist organisations. By adopting a discriminatory policy against Muslims, Trump has sent a message that his administration does not care about their suffering. This will give organisations, like ISIS, a boost to their anti-US propaganda. The administration’s preference for Christian immigrants over Muslims also plays to the propagated message of a war between the West and Islam.

The ban has the effect of alienating countries that the US needs on its side. Iraq, for example, has been fighting a ferocious war against ISIS and has paid a heavy price in lives and wealth. Despite Iraq’s continuing fight against ISIS – an adamant enemy of the US – it was still selected for the ban. This undermines the partnership between the Iraqi government and the US in their fight against terrorism. Likewise, in Yemen, Libya, and Somalia, the US has been conducting counter-terrorist operations which will now also be undermined. The message is clear, even if a country works in partnership with the US, it will still be punished. This could have major ramifications for future intelligence sharing and counter-terrorist operations. The Trump administration’s exaggerated threat assessment of terrorism has inadvertently threatened significant security arrangements.

The US has a responsibility to help the most vulnerable and protect people against discrimination. This executive order puts people’s lives at risk and jeopardises international security. This comes at a time when US leadership is sorely needed to deal with the refugee crisis. Trump’s agenda must be condemned and reversed. A US federal judge has managed to do just that, by at least temporarily halting the travel ban. The world will be holding its breath and hoping that Trump’s infringement of human rights will continue to be hindered by those prepared to defend liberty and justice.

Liam Robins

Related