Small Wars Journal

Trump, Refugees, and the Truth

Wed, 02/01/2017 - 9:38am

Trump, Refugees, and the Truth by James Jay Carafano, Real Clear World

It is President Donald Trump’s most controversial executive order to date. The document, signed last weekend, temporarily halts the admission of refugees from several terrorist hotspots in the Middle East and North Africa. It also caps the total number of refugee admissions at 50,000 per year. 

These limitations are in keeping with presidential precedent set by Bush and Obama. So, why the maelstrom of outrage? It’s been so over the top, you’d think the United States had permanently barred its gates to immigrants and twisted the Statue of Liberty’s torch-bearing grip into a Heisman stiff-arm. 

Not only is that simply not the case, but there is an iron-clad national security rationale backing the president’s policy. 

Having led the Department of Homeland Security transition team and briefed Trump when he was president-elect, I know firsthand that this policy is driven by a heartfelt desire to keep Americans safe while making America a safe haven for those affected by the horrors of ISIS and brutal dictators…

Read on.