Donald Trump isn’t shy about speaking his mind when it comes to whipping his voter base into a frenzy—and it seems he’s still bent on making sweeping changes to current U.S. immigration law.
In a move that would have extremely serious consequences, not just here but abroad, Trump called for “extreme” ideological vetting of immigrants who want to come to the U.S.
He also vowed to overhaul the entire screening process so people who sympathize with extremist groups (only foreign ones, though; he didn’t mention people who sympathize with extremist groups here in the U.S.) and people who don’t embrace “American values” can’t get into the country.
But what are these “American values” Trump is talking about? Are they the ideals that our Founding Fathers fought for, or are they something more, such as championing the “little guy” and defending others against tyrants? Do they include equality, democracy, and freedom of religion?
Of course they do.
So in Youngstown, Ohio, when Trump said, “Those who do not believe in our Constitution, or who support bigotry and hatred, will not be admitted for immigration into our country,” it was a little surprising to his own party and everyone else. He even followed it up by saying, “Only those who we expect to flourish in our country — and to embrace a tolerant American society — should be issued visas.”
A few days before that, Trump made headlines by saying that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton founded ISIS.
Here’s why it’s a little surprising that Trump said, “Those who do not believe in our Constitution, or who support bigotry and hatred, will not be admitted for immigration into our country”:
- Trump claimed that Ghazala Khan, Gold Star mother of Capt. Humayun Kahn, who died in Iraq, wasn’t allowed to speak at the Democratic National Convention, alluding that it was because she is Muslim. Trump said, “If you look at his wife, she was standing there. She had nothing to say. She probably, maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say.”
- Trump implied that Gonzalo Curiel, the U.S.-born federal judge presiding over a class-action lawsuit against Trump University was being unfair because of his Mexican heritage. (Curiel was born in Indiana and has a record of being tough on Mexican drug cartels—a fact that landed him on a Tijuana drug lord’s hit list.) Trump said, “He’s a Mexican. We’re building a wall between here and Mexico. The answer is, he is giving us very unfair rulings—rulings that people can’t even believe.”
- Trump has been sued by the Department of Justice not once, but twice, because Trump Management Corporation wouldn’t rent to black people.
- Trump condoned the attack of a Black Lives Matter activist at one of his rallies, saying, “Maybe [the protester] should have been roughed up. It was absolutely disgusting what he was doing.”
- Trump defended supporters who beat up a homeless Latino man, saying only, “I will say that people who are following me are very passionate. They love this country and they want this country to be great again. They are passionate.”
- Trump actually said, “Look at my African-American over here.”
All of this happened months after Trump said, “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with them. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
Immigrants Coming to the U.S.: Don’t Let Trump’s Ludicrous Comments Bother You
The reality is that any president—whether it ends up being Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump—can’t make sweeping changes to immigration as Trump suggests he will.
If you’re interested in immigrating to the U.S., you may find it helpful to work with a Milwaukee immigration lawyer who can help smooth out the process and ensure your paperwork is submitted to the right agencies (and within the right time frames).
Call us at 414-383-6700 for an immigration consultation. We’ll help you get started on the right path to U.S. citizenship.
