Sloppy policy makers

Anyone who watched television news last weekend saw the growing crowds of protesters at airports across the country. The protests were in reaction to the sudden travel bans enacted against travelers from seven predominately Muslim countries. By Monday protests of the U.S. ban had spread to many other nations including our allies in Western Europe as well as their political leaders.

The primary problem with this ban is that it is a blanket policy with no exceptions. For example, former interpreters who worked for years for the U.S. military during the war in Iraq are blocked from entering the U.S. These people and their families are considered traitors and collaborators and are targets for assassination by ISIS and Al Qaitor, as are their families. Blocking the interpreters and their families places these U.S. allies and employees in mortal danger. People from the listed countries have gone through a vetting process, which takes about two years and goes through numerous U.S. agencies and departments of the U.S. government. The current commander of Iraqi military forces was planning on coming to visit his family living in the U.S. but is now unsure if he would be allowed to enter the U.S.

Secondly, the ban was enacted without specific instructions for border and immigration personnel. Many travelers who had documentation and should have been allowed in were incorrectly blocked and kept isolated for hours.

Although no terrorist acts against the U.S. have been committed by refugees from these nations they are all treated as suspected terrorists. The Trump administration claims this is not a ban targeted at Muslims simply because of their religion. This despite the exception announced on Monday which allows Christians from these nations to enter the U.S. Also, the 9/11 terrorists who are stated to be the reason for this ban did not come from these listed countries. The majority of the terrorists came from Saudi Arabia, and it is not listed as a banned nation.

Whatever your view about this ban there can be no denying that it has been enacted sloppily, not given proper legal review, and without considering unintended consequences. It reflects poorly on the United States and the administration to much of the world.

Jack Dragoni attended Boston College and served in the U.S. Army in Berlin and Vietnam. He lives in Chaffee, Missouri.