Unjust ban

The rational for the executive order of January 27 is to protect the US from foreign terrorist entry.

Yet, it seems to introduce no measure that would actually do that. Rather, its discriminatory focus and its tightening of the pool of people who can trigger the arduous process of seeking refugee status simply make things harder for law enforcement officials seeking to engage US interests abroad.

More fundamentally, the order appears heartless in its cavalier over-generalisation. In one fell swoop, its language deems all foreign-born nationals thus, “Numerous foreign-born individuals have been convicted or implicated in terrorism-related crimes since September 11, 2001.” The coded message is: keep foreigners out, they are all terrorists.

Worse, the order sneakily discriminates on the basis of religion, using the language of the protection of minorities. Without presenting an iota of evidence to back up his claim, Trump defended this, saying Christians have been treated unfairly.

We take no comfort in any of this. The implications are profound.

As an act of law, the order may well be unsound. But as an act of policy, it sends a chillingly effective message: the US will act not on the basis of rationality and comity, but will have partisan politics sway security concerns. If the US is unsafe, the world is unsafe.

Therefore, there is little surprise in the unprecedented uproar of demonstrations all over the world.

Thousands of people have used their democratic right to let their voices be heard on this issue.

Dismayingly, none of this has swayed the White House. Even the resignation of a top official in the office of the attorney general has been brushed aside.

“They should either get with the programme or they can go,” said Sean Spicer, Trump’s press secretary.

We are in a very troubling era of our modern history. If all of these developments can happen in one week, one wonders what will happen in one month, one year, one presidential term.

The wider problem with the executive order is that it may reflect what the White House might hope to be a deeper shift in policies.

While there have been some bogus claims of arbitrary limits now being imposed, the atmosphere is such that people do not put it beyond Trump to limit visas per country and to arbitrarily introduce draconian measures that catch people unawares.

Will this also be the approach of the Trump White House to wider immigration matters and trading relations? If this measure stands, we are on a slippery and dangerous slope.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley this week had cause to underline this country’s commitment to the fight against terror and to cooperate with US officials in this regard.

It remains to be seen how the election of Trump will affect the Caricom/US dynamic. A key issue that has been on the agenda is the question of deportees and cooperation in national security interests.

The US focus on securing its borders comes at a time when borders are becoming less and less important for thousands.

For instance, this Carnival many TT nationals living abroad will return home, and many foreign nationals will be welcomed to these shores to wine and fete. We strongly admonish the unjust and discriminatory policies now being advanced, but we have hope that people will continue to make their voices heard and will further integrate no matter what obstacles stand in the way