President Donald J. Trump has recently expanded his list of executive orders… again. He has called for a temporary ban imposing a 120-day suspension of the refugee program and a 90-day ban on travel to the U.S. from 7 different areas considered “terror hot spots”. This includes: Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, and Sudan. After the order was officially released people immediately were detained in airports for further instructions.
Without surprise, citizens all across the United States disapproved of this notion and came together to let their voices be heard. In airports protesters gathered together holding signs, chanting, and doing whatever they could to help those in need. But, it doesn’t stop there. In city streets were filled with people marching and rallying together against Trump’s ban. For some, it had only been days since their last protest, the Women’s March, that had happened after Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony.
While the people did the best they could turning their backs on the ban and vocalizing their rights, those of higher authority also let it be known that they too were against this ban. Many State Department officials signed protests against Trump’s muslim ban saying “This ban … will not achieve its stated aim to protect the American people from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals admitted to the United States,” in a report posted by FP. In 16 U.S. states attorney generals issued a joint statement against Trump’s order. Additionally, US senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham said that “the president’s order may do more to help recruit “terrorists” than improve US security,”. (Aljazeera)
In addition, a New York federal judge blocked part of Trump’s executive order on immigration, ruling that authorities could not remove individuals from seven Muslim-majority countries who had arrived in US airports after the order had been issued. Other judges had ruled against the order, as well. In San Francisco Tom Perez, Democratic National Committee chair candidate, took to Facebook livestreaming his participation in protests there. The trend continues as Andrew Cuomo, New York Governor ordered the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to reverse an earlier decision made by Trump that restricts passage aboard the JFK Airport AirTrain to ticketed passengers and airport employees only. Cuomo didn’t just stop there either. He also instructed state police and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to assist with security and transportation for protesters. Many more people took the power that they held to help publicize awareness towards the president’s ban.
Students from Leesville let our their roars as they joined in on protests and backlashed against Trump’s ban. Morgan Bateman, Leesville senior, participated in the rally here in Raleigh with a couple of her friends. Bateman held a sign that read “Make America Diverse Again”.
“When I saw that Trump sent out the executive order about the ban I felt for all those affected by it and knew that something needed to be done. So when I went to the protest and saw all these people joining together to protest the discriminatory action made by the president of what is supposed to be a free country, I felt comforted to know that there are still people who care,” said Bateman.
Although the airports have cleared out of protesters and the streets are filled with cars instead of people, a message has been left behind. American citizens refuse to let their opinions and constitutional rights be undermined. They will continue to protest and continue to stand behind what they feel is morally right and work to defeat what they feel is wrong. With President Trump in office, one can safely say, this protest won’t be the last.
