Callie Fucarino ’20 –– Inside Politics Participant
According to the “New York Times,” which President Trump also referred to as the “Failing New York Times,” Mr. Trump has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to take actions against undocumented immigrants.
These drastic actions include the include the removal of privacy protections for illegal aliens, using local police forces to enforce immigration laws, and the creation of new detention centers. Furthermore, should the executive order become law, the deportation process would be expedited.
While Trump’s rhetoric of criminalizing and targeting immigrants has made his base happy, it does not bode well for our currently-divided nation. More than half the country voted against Trump, and those opponents will likely stand against this order. This, in turn, will result in even more pushback on Trump’s orders.
Many Republicans in Congress believe a laissez-faire approach to immigrations laws undermines the entire system. As this is true, and America’s main goal should be to secure its borders, it must be done in a humane way. Although it has been made clear that children will not be targeted in this new order, these children may be left in the hands of the state.
Trump has also failed to disclose where the funds for these new additions to border control and immigration law. It is unlikely that Mexico will pay for the wall, even though a key campaign promise from President Trump was stated that the Mexican government would fund the project.
With local officials taking immigration law into their hands, some are worried that this discretion will lead to racial profiling, widening the rift between police and citizens. Under the Trump administration, illegal immigration will likely be viewed as a more serious offense than it was under Obama.
These strict laws and systems take away from the values of America that we take, “your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” The United States was built on immigration. We should not be turning our backs on people who want to call our country home.
The views and opinions expressed are the students and the organizations whom they represent and do not necessarily represent the views of The Eisenhower Institute or Gettysburg College.
