Trump Wants to Ban all Syrian and Libyan Immigrants, Accuses Iraqi Americans of Supporting 'Honor Killings'

posted on: Sep 1, 2016

BY: Nisreen Eadeh/Staff Writer

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gave his long-awaited immigration speech last night in Phoenix, Arizona after a meeting with President Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico. During his visit, Trump spoke highly of Mexican officials and insisted that the country will work with him to combat illegal immigration across the border.

His speech also focused on strategies for deporting illegal immigrants, as well as his pledge to build a U.S.-Mexico border wall, which he insists Mexico will pay for. The nominee told stories of undocumented immigrants committing violent crimes and taking jobs away from American citizens.

His speech then turned to the topic of amnesty for refugees fleeing war. Trump accused President Obama and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton of putting the lives of Americans in danger by granting amnesty to immigrants in need of a safe space.

“Hillary Clinton has pledged amnesty in her first 100 days, and her plan will provide Obamacare, Social Security, and Medicare for illegal immigrants, breaking the federal budget.”

Although amnesty seekers are not in the country illegally, Trump insists that they will take jobs away from low wage “African-American and Hispanic workers within our country,” which is cause for deportation.

Trump then criticized Clinton’s plan of welcoming Syrian refugees, claiming thousands and thousands of them are at the border.

“Yesterday, when you were watching the news, you saw thousands and thousands of people coming in from Syria. What is wrong with our politicians, our leaders if we can call them that. What the hell are we doing?”

The Republican nominee also said there would be a ban on immigrants coming from countries like Syria and Libya. He stated: “Countries in which immigration will be suspended would include places like Syria and Libya. And we are going to stop the tens of thousands of people coming in from Syria. We have no idea who they are, where they come from. There’s no documentation. There’s no paperwork. It’s going to end badly folks.”

The U.S. admitted 10,000 Syrian refugees this year, so far with no problem. It is difficult to understand what exactly Trump is referring to when he says, “we have no idea who they are, where they come from.” There is indeed documentation for these Syrians; otherwise, the U.S. would not be vetting them in the refugee process.

No reason was given for banning Libyan immigrants.

Trump argued that instead of resettling Syrian refugees in the U.S., they should be resettled in a “safe zone in their home region.” He said the safe zones could be built and funded by the Gulf states, while America supervises the zone.

Another reform Trump proposed was an “ideological certification” for all people coming to the U.S. He did not limit the “ideological certification” to immigrants from certain countries, but the intent of the test is to weed out people who support honor killings. Trump said that the majority of Iraqi Americans, for example, “say that the barbaric practice of honor killings against women are often or sometimes justified.”

No Iraqi American has participated in honor killings in the U.S., so it is unclear where Trump found evidence of this statement.

Trump’s ideological test would ask applicants’ attitudes on honor killings, respect for women, gays, and minorities, and radical Islam.

The irony in this test comes from the fact that one could easily argue that Trump and his base do not respect women, minorities, or the LGBTQ community. However, this irony seemed lost on those at the rally. Throughout the entire speech, Trump could barely finish his sentences because people were cheering often and loudly.

The nominee’s strong immigration proposals show no sign of softening before the election in November. Trump’s immigration policy has been the cornerstone of his presidential campaign, and Americans can expect many more similar speeches in the last two months of the race.