Not every Muslim in the world is an extremist who will commit terrorist attacks, but President Donald Trump’s travel ban is not a racist act or discriminatory against a certain religion.
If the ban was specifically created to stop Muslims from entering the nation, Indonesia—which holds the highest Muslim population in the world—would be one of the countries banned. In fact, the seven most highly populated Muslim countries in the world are not included in the ban.
The seven countries the ban affects make up approximately 13 percent of the world’s Muslim population. Regardless, the travel ban applies to the entire country, not just those of Muslim faith. The travel ban serves to ensure the security of our nation.
The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has been behind terrorist attacks around the world. There is an issue with the concentration of terrorists coming from Syria. This makes Syria eligible to include in the list.
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated, “Iran has been the country that has been in many ways a kind of central banker for terrorism…”
As recently as June 7, Iran encountered a terrorist attack which left 12 dead and 46 wounded. The history of terrorism in Iran spans several decades, which makes the case for including this country.
The horrific events of the attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya in 2012 and in one of the most recent attacks at the Manchester Arena was performed by an attacker with family ties to Libya. ISIS holds a powerful influence in Libya, especially following the assassination of the former Prime Minister of Libya Muammar Gaddafi. Libya’s place on the list is justified.
The Global Terrorism Index of 2015 ranked Yemen seventh in the highest impact of terrorism in the world. Yemen is an important partner when it comes to fighting terror. However, it has become overrun with terror supporters. The security of our nation depends on quelling terror in Yemen, which is why it’s on the list.
Somalia has a history of terrorist attacks against anyone who supports or represents western society. Since 1986, Sudan has had 381 terrorist attacks and an estimated 1,103 deaths. Somalia and Sudan are undoubtedly perfect candidates for the ban.
Each of the countries in the ban is justifiably included in an effort to defend the nation’s security. This is not meant to be permanent. It is designed to be a 90-day ban on new visas being issued to citizens of these countries and a 120-day ban on our nation’s refugee program.
According to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the purpose is to responsibly provide a “needed pause so we can carefully review how we scrutinize people coming here from these countries of concern.” The bill also allows waivers to people who have previously been in the U.S. for work or school, and anyone visiting or moving in with family.
The ban is not unconstitutional, as it does not hinder freedom of religion. Arguments using the Fifth and Sixth Amendments are not effective, as those amendments only protect U.S. citizens, who don’t need to apply for visas. In 8 U.S. Code §1182, it is made clear if the president can provide a reason to believe a person applying for a visa poses a risk to public safety the visa can be withheld.
I call on readers to understand the logic behind the travel ban. It is being reinstated to protect the freedoms enjoyed by the people of this great nation.
– Nellie Perry is a journalism sophomore