Angelina Jolie Slams Trump's Immigration Ban

In a New York Times op-ed yesterday, actress Angelina Jolie has recorded her displeasure against President Donald Trump's immigration ban in writing. She says that discriminating against refugees for their religion or country of origin invites the very instability we seek to protect ourselves against.

Discriminating against refugees for their religion or country of origin invites the very instability we seek to protect ourselves against

The actress and filmmaker is the special envoy of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Mother of six children who were born outside of America but are now its citizens, Angelina writes, "I very much want our country to be safe for them, and all our nation’s children. But I also want to know that refugee children who qualify for asylum will always have a chance to plead their case to a compassionate America."

“America is committed to the world because so much of the world is inside America,” - Ronald Reagan

She continues to make her point by mentioning the already in place system that whets incoming refugees thoroughly to make sure they are not a threat to the nation, but basing a policy/ban out of fear, rather than facts, is not how the government should function.

Interviews, security checks carried out by the FBI, the National Counterterrorism Center, the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department are all the hurdles that refugees have to cross to be able to lead a life in America.

Refugees are in fact subject to the highest level of screening of any category of traveller to the United States

The United Nations Refugee Agency itself identifies those who are most in need of protection and yet we live in fear and misjudgement? Pointing out facts and history, Jolie writes that only about 18,000 Syrians have been resettled in America since 2011. She continues to talk about the importance of values that United Nations holds, an organisation that works towards the best for everyone and every state, which urges the countries to keep their border open and uphold a standard of generosity for those truly in need.

The Trump Immigration Ban has been ridiculed and mocked by numerous American citizens themselves. We also saw the protest that took place outside JFK just after Trump signed the Executive Order that bans anyone travelling from the seven Muslim countries into United States of America. Is this really the world we are living in? Filled with fear and void of generosity?

Feature Image Courtesy: The Telegraph