In 1951, my mother and grandmother came to the United States from India. They were not fleeing war or persecution, and they had family here. Though they had US visas, they weren’t naturalized for two years. Whenever they had to return to court for a visa renewal, my mother — just 7 when they arrived — threw up from anxiety.
Imagine the stress and trauma of a Syrian refugee who learns that the country she had looked to for safety has slammed shut its doors.
Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration is the stuff of nightmares. People who have invested hope, time, and money in America have been unhoused with one stroke of his pen.
We are all immigrants. Immigrants make America great — from food truck jockeys to Steve Jobs, son of a Syrian. Trump’s order is xenophobic, racist, bigoted. If our country accepts it, we are not only morally bankrupt, we are suicidal.
So contact your elected officials. Protest. Donate money or legal and advocacy skills to organizations that are fighting this order. Even more, take the time to know your neighbors. We are, truly, stronger together.
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