I still feel the anxiety that I felt before I made a “transmission” by e -mail to legal clinics and professional bonos nationwide. “”Emergency -Protect refugees arriving at the airport“Read the subject and prepare for the United States to provide legal support to refugees who may be detained when landing in the United States.
It was January 25, 2017. Within 24 hours 1,600 volunteers responded -Ins just in time. On January 27, President Trump, who was newly launched, announced what he was called.Prohibition of Muslims“Even thousands of travelers who had permission to enter the United States had an influence on the influence of the travelers. They have been canceled while they are already flying here. These are the mother. , Father, child, some have lived in the United States for years, but others have just arrived as refugees.
It was a pure confusion, but the support was all different. Instead of Trump's hatred politics, the Americans appeared for their neighbors and demonstrated that they would not do COs in the face of threats. This is what we guided through the first Trump administration.
I am proud of the organization I founded Having a role of important leadership In the fight against the ban on Trump Muslims. Submitted two Legal issue I spent the past eight years Taromanou operation Cancels the damage to Muslims and the family of refugees.
When Trump is re -elected on the platform There is even more toxic I felt that I was more discouraged than many families and friends, as I knew that we had been here before, the hatred of anti -immigrants. Eight years ago, at the time at the airport, he told me three important lessons that would be useful as a guide for the next few years.
First of all, “Cruelity is the point.” Adam Cellewer's Trump's spirit of five words. It was clear from the beginning. The nature of the slap dash, which was banned by Muslims, was a sign of incompetence, which indicated the lack of government care in the results of their actions.
Trump, the first day of his second term Signed many new presidential orders,, Attack immigration routes from all angles: The third country of refugees, asylum, and even constitutional guarantees of the right to live in livelihood. These damage immigrants and harms the country, Throw the economy into confusion。 Shock and Kei's reminder continue to be a strategy, and the cruelty intends to convey the message. Scary people are more likely to be happy to give up their rights.
Second, I learned that the only way to fight division is unified. One of the most important lessons of the Battle of Muslim ban is when we do not succumb to fear, when we fight together to maintain the shared value, how much profit we I got it. In particular, it was not just lawyers who appeared eight years ago to defend the rights of Muslims and immigrants. Along with the lawyers, thousands of daily Americans appeared at the airport, pushing back to the split and fear of Trump, and defended their neighbors.
I remember the new immigrants who have provided their language skills and how they can help them can see how they can help -I see the messages on Facebook The community where they lived. Accept unity instead of division has infinite political potential. This time, it is necessary to continue to show solidarity in the community and profit group as a whole, and create united front. The Trump administration is not just for immigration rights.
Third, I learned that if you didn't fight, you would never win. Whether it is banned by Muslims Large -scale expulsion, Accepting one form of non -humanization will inevitably lead to more things. When people succumb to Trump, it pushes him even stronger. This is a lesson that a politician of conscience needs to work desperately.
Earlier this month, many of the members of the proposer probably stumbled themselves to pass the law of anti -immigration hatred. It is known as misleading as Laken Riley Act Instead of pushing it back to the debate of bad religion used to justify it. Green light is this bill Resident and expulsion of abroad Among the defendants who have not been convicted of low -level crimes, many new authorities are fundamentally equipped with anti -immigrants to challenge immigration policies. In short, it gave Trump to many tools that need to be able to execute his extreme agenda.
Politicians surrendered without fighting because they thought they needed to be strict with immigrants, but this is the end of a slippery slope. If the leader gives up protecting immigrants, what do they stop abandoning, working, or betraying the rights of LGBTQ?
Of course, things are not the same as eight years ago. The meeting mood has changed. Political leaders are signaling instead of popular resistance Mass resignation。 However, spontaneous airport rally may not be seen, but lawyers and communities are mobilized and protect their neighbors' rights.
The Trump administration wants us for us, but we are not. When we are standing together to protect the value of shared, we can stop the back ride and start the construction of a country to which we belong.
BECCA HELLER is a lawyer who has won awards, International refugee support projectGlobal legal aid and advocacy, focused on the belief that everyone should have a safe place and a safe way to reach it.
