Around 650 children were separated from their parents due to the zero-tolerance policy during the period of May 9th and May 19th. The zero-tolerance policy was implemented by President Donald Trump, in order to fulfil his promise to make immigrations laws stricter. Ever since President Trump took the oath of office, the American-first propaganda has created a lot of tensions between the relationships of the President, and the people. Some Americans believe that the strict immigration laws are beneficial for America, while others think of Trump’s policies as harsh and unjust. However, as the saying goes, there are two sides to a fence, and there are certainly two drastically different viewpoints in this controversial policy. Some Americans believe that the strict immigration laws are beneficial for America, while others think of Trump’s policies as harsh and unjust.
The three-headed Trump immigration policy is layed out in a simple, but effective format. The core principles include: A nation without a border is not a nation, a nation without laws is not a nation, and a nation that does not serve its own citizens is not a nation. This new reform aims to build the infamous wall across the southern border of the United States, pass laws concerning immigration to reduce immigration, and improve jobs, wages, and security for all Americans. Trump has a very strong ego, but it is beneficial in this case. While Trump hasn’t even completed half of his term, he has already made many extreme changes, with many falling under the immigration umbrella. Ever since his announcement to run for President, Trump has changed the mind-sets of many Americans. The ‘Made in USA’ feeling has spread across the Red, White, and Blue country like wildfire, with impacts on the economy of countless countries.
The other side of this controversy, however, is not so pretty. Trump’s immigration policy has hit the world negatively, with the U.S. becoming a laughing stock of the world. The mockery has not been lost on Trump, however. He continues to stand tall and refuses to budge from his controversial stance. Every court decision that opposes Trump only seems to fuel his determination. The Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of Trump's September order to restrict travel from several majority Muslim countries to the United States. In the 5-4 decision written by Chief Justice John Roberts, the court found that Trump's travel restriction fell "squarely" within the president's authority. The court rejected claims that the ban was motivated by religious hostility. The case, Trump v. Hawaii, has been central to the administration's travel policy, presenting a key test of the president's campaign promise to restrict immigration and secure America's borders. The travel restriction, which is Trump’s third, affects people from Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. It should be viewed as a huge victory for the Trump government, and is a step in the right direction.
Tens of thousands of people across the US have taken to the streets to protest against Donald Trump‘s “zero tolerance” immigration policy. Crowds marched in cities from Washington DC to Los Angeles in opposition to the separation of children from their parents at the border with Mexico. More than 750 events across all 50 states were planned by organisers under the slogans “Families Belong Together” and “Freedom for Immigrants”. The common chant at many of the protests was “Shame!” This “zero-tolerance policy” applies to all adults, regardless of whether they cross alone or with their children.
The Justice Department can’t prosecute children along with their parents, so the natural result of the zero-tolerance policy has been a sharp rise in family separations. Nearly 2,000 immigrant children were separated from parents during six weeks in April and May, according to the Department of Homeland Security. In fact, during its first 15 months, the Trump administration released nearly 100,000 immigrants who were apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border, a total that includes more than 37,500 unaccompanied minors and more than 61,000 family members.
This harsh immigration policy is turning heads all over the world, as effects are being felt everywhere Trump goes. In his most recent visit to London to meet the British Prime Minister Theresa May, Trump was greeted with enormous protests. Trump also is not winning over people by making absurd statements. Many on the streets in London emphasized the protests were against Trump rather than America. “Love America, hate Trump,” read one sign seen by TIME.
“This protest is not anti-American,” said London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan in a statement on Thursday. “Most of those marching on Friday will love the United States, just as I do.” The President had criticized Khan for what he said was allowing too many immigrants into London. (Responsibility for border controls lies with Britain’s government rather than the Mayor’s office.)
While President Trump’s immigration policy isn’t well-liked around the world, it hasn’t stopped Trump from pursuing even tougher immigration laws. With all the negativity surrounding Trump, we, as people, shouldn’t forget the Trump is the President of the United States, and would consequently do something that would benefit his country. His immigration policies are harsh, but maybe that's exactly what the United States needs in order to reduce unemployment and make Americans wealthy. There is no denying that Mexico is the biggest supplier of illegal drugs that make their way into America, or that many Americans lose their jobs to illegal immigrants. Love him or hate him, once Trump has his sights set on something, he will make a change. Only time will tell whether he will go down as a successful president, or one that made himself popular for all the wrong reasons.
Written by:
Ankit Shrivastava