Yesterday, our President (I can own it, you should too, especially if you want to stop him) signed another executive order. This one was on refugees, and on the surface it was inhumane, unnecessary, ill-advised and likely against Federal law. The good news is, people came together QUICKLY to take action. Crowds went to airports in an attempt to pile on pressure to stop deportations, and these crowds included many lawyers ready to file habeus corpus briefs and other suits. And it was just announced that the ACLU succeeded in getting a Federal court to put a temporary stay on the harshest orders, which required immediate deportation of anyone who came into the country (and was at the airport in many cases) when the order was signed.

This is NOT over. We need to stay active and vigilant on this one. Refugees are human beings fleeing political persecution and outright violence in their own countries. They are among the most vulnerable human beings on the planet. Our founding principles and our morals demand that we provide assistance, and certainly that we avoid doing them harm.Yesterday’s Trumpian Directive not only would have barred many from entering the country (all for four months), but would have very likely resulted in harm and many deaths for refugees who could not flee. The order is still on the table, and more Federal lawsuits will be needed to fully overturn it. It bars Syrian refugees, among the most vulnerable in the world, indefinitely. These are people who typically hate ISIS and are fleeing the violence in Syria, not likely terrorists. It denies entry for 90 days to anyone from seven Muslim countries: Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Libya and Yemen. Interestingly, no refugee from any of these countries has EVER committed a terrorist act in the United States! Saudis and Egyptians, whose citizens perpetrated the 9/11 attacks, are not barred. And it halts the resettlement of all refugees for four months, including people who have passed our already extensive background checks. Even those who have Green Cards, like students or other legal residents who might travel abroad for a holiday, and not be able to return.

This is not a system that needed to be fixed — that was Trumpian fear-mongering made up from whole cloth during the campaign. Also, it is very likely that the targeting of Muslims in this order is against standing Federal law. The White House claims this is not a religious test. Given the wording, courts are likely to disagree.

There was one piece of good news coming out of this story that we shouldn’t minimize. This action very quickly brought many disparate parts of our nation, and the world, together in opposing the Trumpian order. Did you hear the one where Dick Cheney, Michael Moore, Charles Krauthammer and the Pope walked into a bar … and they all agreed that not only was this a stupid order, but it was morally wrong. It’s not a joke (except for the bar part) — anytime you unite those four against you, consider the likelihood that you are completely and utterly WRONG. While the GOP leadership for the most part supported the order, many in the rank and file, along with numerous governors, and a number of conservative-side talking heads and commentators also came out against it. This order was bad from the start, and it was easy to see.

Paul Ryan and other GOP leaders have initially said that the order does not include a “religious test” (important legal language), but you can bet they are testing the winds of public opinion on this one. If we do end up moving toward impeachment in the future, this may well be the second political straw breaking. (Mexican tariffs was the first, it’s been a busy week!)

So what should you do now? Stay alert. Follow the political news more closely than usual. Check your sources multiple times. For this issue, there are a number of great organizations that you can join or (if you have the funds) make a contribution(s). These include:

  • The American Civil Liberties Union – https://www.aclu.org/
  • The Southern Poverty Law Center – https://www.splcenter.org/
  • The International Refugee Assistance Project – https://refugeerights.org/
  • and look for local legal aid and refugee assistance groups in your area, including local chapters of the groups above. There are many more, these are just a few examples of those doing good work already on this issue.

And when something happens on this or other issues that you oppose, make calls, write emails, and drop in on your elected officials. Let them know what you oppose, and let them know if they are on the right side too (in your opinion, of course!) Make sure the political winds blow LOUD and CLEAR on each issue that comes up. Yes, it will take extra time. But it’s only our country and our future on the line.