January 9, 2019

On Tuesday, January 8th, President Trump delivered a televised address on national border security in which he continued his attempts to foment xenophobic hysteria over a fabricated border security crisis. In making his case for American taxpayer dollars to go toward funding a border wall, the President distorted events, ignored the humanity of immigrants and asylum seekers, and pitted the interests of this nation’s citizens, many of whom stand to be impacted by the continued government shutdown, against one another. In doing so, the President failed this nation’s citizens as well as the many people who will continue to suffer from his administration’s border security and immigration policies.

Not only were the figures President Trump cited erroneous, and his read of immigration completely unmoored from reality, but the President sketched out a cynical and dangerous vision of America. This vision has informed those immigration policies which have led to the systematic oppression of people at the border. Contrary to the President’s vision, America is a country built on the contributions from immigrants of all races, religions, creeds, and abilities. The possibility still exists for a humane comprehensive immigration policy, with strong and effective border security, which allows our nation as a whole to benefit.

With less than a week to go until this current shutdown becomes the longest in American history, our nation’s leaders are called upon to reopen the government and to not foreclose on the possibility of achieving our nation’s great promise to all immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

Founded in 1988, the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) is a national nonprofit working to promote and strengthen American pluralism by increasing understanding and improving policies that impact American Muslims.