Prudence. It’s a word we don’t hear too much of lately, especially in the hustle and bustle of international travel, where immediate results are expected and patience is easily lost.
President Donald Trump is showing remarkable prudence in his executive order requiring a temporary pause in the immigration of persons to the United States from seven Middle Eastern countries.
It means some refugees may not clear U.S. Customs at airports for a short period of time until a more-permanent, significant vetting policy is in place. Trump is showing the rest of the world what matters most: protecting American citizens.
Trump signed a 90-day, temporary ban on persons entering the U.S. from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. To enter the U.S. from those nations will now require further vetting, which is exactly what is needed to keep the homeland safe. Those stopped at JFK Airport in New York and elsewhere were vetted and eventually released, showing the system worked.
But each of these countries addressed in Trump’s executive order are infiltrated by radical Islamic extremism – either by jihadist-leaning governments or violent jihadist terrorists.
Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen have been breeding grounds for terrorists who have spread carnage throughout Europe and the Middle East in the past two years – killing hundreds of innocent men, women and children.
For example:
- A 27-year-old Syrian blew himself up in the Bavarian town of Ansbach last summer, killing 15 people outside a concert. ISIS identified the perpetrator as a "soldier of Islam."
- Also last summer, two followers of the Islamic State murdered a Catholic priest while he was saying Mass in Normandy. French prosecutors said one of the attackers had served prison time for attempting to fight in Syria.
- In November 2015, terrorists attacked the Bataclan nightclub in Paris and bombed several other locations, resulting in the deaths of 130 people. ISIS claimed responsibility, saying it was retaliation for air strikes in Syria and Iraq. Several of the assailants traveled to or hailed from Syria, including traveling with refugees, according to the BBC.
- In March 2016, three coordinated terrorist attacks occurred in Brussels – two at the international airport and one at a major train station. Thirty-two people were killed and 300 injured. Several suspects had traveled to Syria or fought for ISIS in that region.
Our 45th President, like many Europeans and Americans, is horrified by the needless carnage that is becoming routine in too many parts of the globe, thanks to the free travel of undetected terrorists. Even the Sept. 11 hijackers were here on expired visas.
U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., made a good point this week when he said we should assess just how bad this problem is before we start criticizing the President’s actions. After all, 40 percent of visitors to the U.S. on a visa overstay their visa and the government cannot find them.
Thankfully, Trump wants to protect our homeland and prevent terrorists and bad actors access to the United States – something they try to do daily. Contrary to media reports, this pause is not a ban on Muslims nor anyone else based on their religion, but a backstop against dangerous nations.
President Obama also halted the flood of refugees from a dangerous part of the world – Iraq – in 2011 when he implemented a six-month ban on refugees after a failed plot to attack Fort Knox. The only difference is that Obama did not publicly announce his ban.
I travel across the globe on a weekly basis. In the U.S., and especially in Europe, anxiety is extremely high as passengers cringe at the next potential attack because they know too little is being done to keep ISIS terrorists from traveling freely. It’s nice to know we have a new President with the courage to review our immigration policy and who will take strong action to keep Americans safe while still making our nation the greatest place on earth to travel and do business.
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