Trump’s racist travel ban requires more than just condemnation

The Canadian government must immediately step up in both words and deeds to categorically reject Donald Trump’s executive orders on immigration and refugee policy. This is not a drill. This is a time for action.

ricochet.media

Trump’s ban affects asylum seekers, immigrants and any and all travellers from seven countries: Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. This includes resident green card holders trying to return to the U.S. from travel for personal or work reasons. The U.S. State Department has also confirmed this includes dual citizens from these seven countries, an outrageous and draconian measure that could affect hundreds of thousands of Canadians, including the Canadian Immigration Minister, since he came to Canada as a refugee from Somalia.

This afternoon Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to Trump, albeit indirectly.

To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada

Trudeau must stand up and explicitly confront Trump by demanding a repeal of these discriminatory orders and the safeguarding of equal travel rights for all.

Make no mistake, this is Trump’s long-promised Muslim ban. His regime is starting to implement the xenophobic measures they talked about time and again at rallies during the primaries and the general election. Those who downplayed the risk of Trump’s campaign trail rhetoric were tragically mistaken; the threat of fascism must be taken literally and seriously.

To protect those directly affected and threatened by Trump’s Muslim ban, the Canadian government should immediately grant temporary visas to anyone otherwise accepted for entry who is denied under trump’s racist and unconstitutional measures. Trudeau should also cancel the so-called “Safe Third Country Agreement”. A LeadNow petition initiated by No One Is Illegal, which already has over 15,000 signatories, explains:

Shockingly, if an asylum seeker currently in the US showed up at the Canadian border trying to escape deportation to an unsafe country – Canada would turn them away. Canada doesn’t accept any asylum seekers who come to Canada via the US, because of an outdated law called the “Safe Third Country Agreement”. This law prevents most people fleeing violence or persecution from seeking refuge in Canada if they land in the US – deemed a “safe country” under the law – first.