Back in the day, Trump may have enjoyed playing pretender-wrestler but now his attacks are real and target people’s lives. Everyone knows about the infamous Arab and Muslim Ban and the decision to endorse the Israeli occupation of Jerusalem, which is contrary to the legal and historical claims of Palestinians, and contemptuous of the well-being of over 300,000 Jerusalemite Palestinians. But Trump Attacks are so numerous that many go without notice. In case you missed them, here are some Trump Attacks no less deserving of our attention.
Refusing to Re-designate Syria TPS
In January, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Syrians in the U.S. but refused to re-designate Syria as a TPS eligible country. The split decision defies logic. A Syrian in the U.S. currently on TPS can stay but another Syrian also in the U.S. but not yet on TPS will now have their TPS application denied and face the prospect of forced repatriation. By refusing to re-designate Syria, DHS bowed to Trump’s campaign pledge to close the door on Syrians refugees.
ADC Fights Back: DHS may have closed one door, but ADC has opened several others as we help Syrians, Yemenis, Iraqis, Libyans, and other Arabs apply for resettlement in the U.S. under asylum, refugee, and family unification law.
Global Entry
After Trump’s inauguration, ADC started receiving phone calls from distressed Arab-Americans reporting that their Global Entry (expedited security clearance pass at airports) was canceled without notice or explanation. DHS and Customs and Border Protection have stonewalled ADC Freedom of Information Act requests attempting to unravel the surreptitious campaign infringing on our travel rights.
ADC Fights Back: We’re taking DHS and CBP to court to force them to comply with our requests. Exposing their discriminatory practices is the first step to ending such un-American behavior.
Refugee Quota Cut
The world is confronting the worst refugee crisis since World War II but Trump’s enforcing the lowest refugee quota since 1980. At 50,000 it’s a 59% drop from 2016. Only 17,500 admittances are for the Near East and South Asia whose regional allocation was cut by 58%, which is more than the cut for Europe and Central Asia where the refugee crisis is less severe. On July 12, 2017, the State Department announced that the cap had been met and no more entrances would be allowed for the year, which predictably demonstrated the inadequacy of Trump’s cap.
ADC Fights Back: The refugee quota is callous, but ADC is providing legal assistance to work around the quota. Many would-be immigrants are naturally uninformed about American laws. Family reunification, for instance, is exempt from the refugee quota. That’s why ADC is so essential: we help countless people navigate the thicket of regulations so they and their families can find safe harbor.