If at first you fail at implementing your shithouse agenda, try again.
Donald Trump has signed another executive order restricting immigration from several Muslim-majority nations, after his first attempt descended into chaos, with federal judges blocking parts of the order and protests arising amidst the chaos and confusion at the nation’s airports.
There was no pomp and circumstance here, either – Trump signed the new order in private, away from cameras. Maybe he knows the press won’t be great.
The order keeps a 90-day ban on travel to the United States from Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, but knocks Iraq off the list.
Iraq has reportedly been removed due to new vetting procedures introduced by the Iraqi government – including heightened visa screening and data sharing – plus the fact that many Iraqis worked alongside US forces in the disastrous war in their country.
The original order banned refugees for 120 days and Syrian refugees indefinitely. The new one maintains the 120 day ban, but Syrian refugees are not treated differently. Legal permanent residents, or green card holders, will not be affected by this ban as they were with the last one.
The new order takes effect on March 16, which is clearly an attempt to mitigate the initial chaos and confusion of the last order, which took effect immediately.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced Trump had signed the order to reporters.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson delivers remarks on issues related to visas and travel. #TrumpExecutiveOrder pic.twitter.com/23kC6xPT3z
— Michael Delauzon (@MichaelDelauzon) March 6, 2017
It is the president’s solemn duty to protect the American people. As threats to our security continue to evolve and change, common sense dictates that we continually re-evaluate and reassess the systems we rely upon to protect our country.
This is definitely a neutered order, clearly designed to avoid the disaster that was the last one. Trump and his team obviously aren’t admitting that the last one failed, and reject accusations of ‘chaos’ at America’s airports, but it’s clear the last one was slammed through and just did not work out for them.
Chuck Schumer, the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, said this ban was as flawed and immoral as the last one. “A watered down ban is still a ban,” he said in a statement. “Despite the administration’s changes, this dangerous executive order makes us less safe, not more, it is mean-spirited, and un-American. It must be repealed.“
Other Democrats were less polite:
Here we go again…Muslim Ban 2.0 #NoBanNoWall https://t.co/HTALRTKZYO
— André Carson (@RepAndreCarson) March 6, 2017
Source: CNN.
Photo: Getty Images / Anadolu Agency.
