The current occupant of the White House managed to turn down the TV for a few minutes Friday to sign an executive order barring admission to the United States all refugees from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia–and plunging the world into temporary chaos.
In the ensuing worldwide furor–in which even longtime American citizens who happen to be Muslim were detained at airports as their loved ones searched frantically–it was little noticed that the list of banned nations excludes several majority-Muslim ones, including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, where the Trump Organization, now run by the president’s adult kids, has significant outposts. These countries have also faced terrorism and threats of violence. Daddy, please let our employees travel. (Just don’t tell anyone we had this conversation.)
The ED had the fingerprints all over it of White House chief strategist, white supremacist, and fake news creator Kevin “Steve” Bannon, who apparently was the last person Trump talked to before agreeing to put his signature on the dotted line. Yes, Virginia, a white supremacist is the president’s most trusted advisor.
“You see it at the airports, you see it all over,” Trump said in response to criticism. “It’s working out very nicely, and we’re going to have a very, very strict ban, and we’re going to have extreme vetting, which we should have had in this country for many years.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Vet this: On Saturday Ann Donnelly of the U.S. District Court in Brooklyn granted the ACLU’s request to stop the deportations after determining that the risk of injury to those detained, including exiled LGBTQ people from antigay nations, by being returned to their home countries required the immediate action. Donnelly was appointed by President Obama.
While Donnelly and much of the world reacted with incredulity to Trump’s order, the Grand Old Party remained remarkably obsequious, with leaders Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan issuing statements supporting the crackdown despite having opposed similar Trump pledges during the campaign.
Related: Trump just issued press release boasting about how great he is; internet begs to differ
Shannon1981
Trump is a maniac. Surely the rest of the GOP must see this? Granted, a President Pence would be scary as hell too – but for other reasons. Trump is going to get us all killed. We’ll be invaded within the year if he stays in office. His mental and emotional whims, full of crazy instability, govern his every move. He literally makes policy via personal feuds and temper tantrums. So scary.
Neonegro
And who is going to invade us???? Who is going to kill us all???
So he has a personal feud with Somalia and Sudan and Libya and Yemen????
Shannon1981
The whole world is pissed at us. Canada, Europe, everyone. If this fascism continues, they WILL do something.
Neonegro
Canada is going to invade us and kill us?
France, Germany, Italy, Mexico?????
With what army?
If they care so much, why don’t they take in all the muslims.
Shannon1981
They are taking in Muslims. You are promoting bigotry, which is not an American value.
Shannon1981
And yes, all those nations and more have militaries. If they all band together to stop what Trump is doing, they will overpower ours – especially since many military leaders right here in the US oppose what Trump is doing and will refuse to carry out orders that violate international law.
mhoffman953
@Shannon1981 Other countries would not invade us and kill innocent American citizens as you allege. Do you know what NATO is? Do you know what the rules of engagement are?
Shannon1981
They wouldn’t kill innocent Americans, no. But they WOULD do anything to stop Trump’s New Fourth Reich at any cost. I think all bets and rules are off in a situation when the man leading the most powerful nation on earth is clearly forming a dictatorship. The @RoguePOTUSStaff Twitter says he wants to be remembered as a king. His words. They’ll stop it somehow, mark my words. And we’ll all pay the price.
Shannon1981
@mhoffman, of course I know what NATO is. It is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization – the strongest and most important military alliance since World War 2. We protect one another, and they protected us on 9.11. I have a sneaking suspicion they view Trump as a danger, and will do whatever they need to do to stop him.
mhoffman953
@Shannon1981 You do realize the RoguePOTUSStaff account is a parody account, right? Plus banning groups of people from this country is nothing new. Obama banned people from Syria and Iran (oddly enough my previous comment explaining this and how Trump is doing nothing illegal was deleted)
Juanjo
Neonegro troll boy – exactly who is going to invade us? The nations he excluded from his ban are exactly the ones who have had nationals come here and attack us. The first Trade Center attack was funded by a Saudi – Osama Bin Laden and carried out by Pakistanis, Egyptians, a US born citizen and a Palestinian. The second attack was carried out by Saudis, Egyptians a few men from the UAR and a one Lebanese. The attack was planned and funded by a Saudi – OBL. The shoe bomber? – Nigerian. The Riverside California attack – a US citizen and a Pakistani. Orlando attack – a US citizen born here of parents from Afghanistan.
The question is not does the orange howler monkey have a personal feud with Somalia, Sudan, Libya or Yemen. He could not pick those countries out on a map. This little diatribe came from the Obersturmführer, Steve Bannon, who wants to toss some red meat to the neo-Nazi right wing.
Neonegro
Juanjo stupid boy, open a dictionary and try to learn the difference between INVADE and an ATTACK.
It is not a RIGHT to enter someone else’s country, it is a privilege afforded by the host nation.
That’s why we have borders, visas and passports.
Neonegro
Shannon1981, How did NATO protect us on 9/11????? Do tell.
In case you are not aware, The US is the overwhelming power in NATO.
The US and Russia could split Europe in half if they so chose.
Canada, Germany, Japan…all depend on the US in case of an attack either from Russia or China.
Nobody or groups is going to invade the USA.
The US elected a president thru its democratic process, the world will just have to live with it.
There is nothing they can do about it, this is not some banana republic. It is the biggest economic and military power the world has ever seen.
Shannon1981
Yes, we have to live with, but this is a nation of laws. Said laws apply to Trump. If he breaks them, he can be removed.
the ONLY time article 5 of NATO was invoked was on 9/11.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/8/3/1556565/-9-11-The-only-time-NATO-Treaty-Article-5-ever-invoked
So, yes, our NATO allies came to our aid then.
mhoffman953
@Shannon1981 You are right that we are a nation of laws which is why illegal immigration must be stopped because those people are breaking the law.
Regarding immigration from terror prone countries, that is within the President’s reach too according to section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 which states: “Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.”
aequalitasTN
@mhoffman953
Indeed, we are a nation of laws, and that includes the statutes you quoted, along with the Constitution and common law, ALL OF WHICH is interpreted by the constitutionally established courts.
Fact: POTUS has the authority to ban immigration.
Additonal fact: the courts have the authority to review executive orders (see any number of court cases from Mauberry to Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer, not to mention Article III itself, establishing the judicial power of the courts).
Additional fact: Article III courts have the power to issue writs of habeas corpus, including for immigrants, and others within the judicial authority of the US (see INS v. St. Cyr, 2001, and Boumediene v. Bush, 2008).
Additional fact: Federal courts have the power to issue injunctions to restrain an action by an official or individual from occurring (see FRCP Rule 65).
Additional fact: the courts have the power to enforce those orders via contempt charges, including via Writs of Attachment (see FRCP Rule 70).
Conclusion: While the executive action issued by POTUS banning immigration is legal, the failure of agents to heed the injunction issued by the US District Court for the Eastern District of VA and allow attorneys access to their clients is not; therefore, having failed to comply with said injunction, writs of attachment should be issued for the Secretary, the director of the CBP, and all agents failing to comply with that or any other court order effecting Executive Order 13769. Further, given that a nationwide injunction has been issued by Judge Donnelly of E.D.N.Y, preventing deportation, it cannot occur, lest those responsible be subject to contempt as well.
The President may have power, but there are lawful checks on those powers for a reason. While I am not a huge fan of continued immigration influxes from countries hostile to our values, it cannot be permitted for anyone, especially citizens and lawful permanent residents to be denied free passage in and out of this country without just cause, subject to all the constitutional guarantees therein. Immigration enforcement is important, let’s do it right and continue to be a beacon of hope AND a nation of law & order.
Neonegro
Shanon1981; NATO did not protect us on 9/11 as you claim.
Article 5 was invoked after the attack and is just a declaration.
Shannon1981
They can if they violate the constitution. And they have. Learn the law before commenting.
mhoffman953
@Shannon1981 It doesn’t violate the constitution. You should learn laws before commenting:
Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 states: “Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.”
But I guess you never heard of that act before.
Every past President has banned people for one reason or another. Obama banned people from Iran and Syria multiple times during his presidency, Bush banned people from Zimbabwe, Clinton banned people from Haiti and Sierra Leone.
This is nothing different than what has happened before. Our government has the full right to put in place bans from terror prone countries that pose a danger to us in regards to national security.
Learn the law before commenting
Shannon1981
There is no religious test to enter this nation. It is against the law. The ban has been stayed, pending a total shutdown.
Shannon1981
Trump is not a king, no matter what he thinks he is. Clearly, he is motivated by bigotry and xenophobia, rather than facts. The nations banned? NOT ONE terrorist attack has occurred from any of those nations. NOT ONE. This is bigotry, pure and simple.
NateOcean
Don’t say you weren’t warned.
Enjoy!
Ogre Magi
I am more concerned about Trumps Mexican border bullshit