Trump’s Executive Orders Denounced: Detention is Not the Solution

Source: Women's Refugee Commission — Source: Women’s Refugee Commission

IDC members in the United States and across the world have uniformly spoken out against the executive orders issued this past week by U.S. President Donald Trump.

All three executive orders directly impact U.S. immigration policy, and IDC and its members and partners express serious concern about their conflict with the United States Constitution and international human rights law, as well as the immediate and concerning impacts they will have on the health and safety of the thousands of men, woman and children seeking protection in the U.S.

The first and second orders, released on January 25^th, include a massive expansion of immigration detention, with increased numbers of border patrol agents and closing the U.S. to those seeking protection at its southern border.

The final order, released January 27^th, called for the immediate halting of all refugees entering the United States and a 90-day embargo on all immigrants and non-immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations – Syria, Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Libya, Sudan and Yemen.

Hundreds of travellers – U.S citizens and migrants alike – were detained or otherwise affected by these orders over the weekend, although the exact numbers of people currently being held in detention is unknown.

Already, the effects of these orders have been widespread, sparking global outrage and protests across the world and legal action to prevent their enactment.

“The United States has a long tradition of welcoming and sheltering people displaced by conflict and crisis. Given the massiveness of the refugee crisis, now is not the time to be turning our backs on those in such dire need.” – Sarah Costa, Women’s Refugee Commission

“We urge people of good faith to act and remind the President and members of Congress that we must stand together, not allow ourselves to become even more polarized. What hurts one of us, hurts us all.” – Alianza Americas

The IDC position is clear that immigration detention is damaging and not the answer, now or ever. ‘There are alternatives available to the United States government that are both more humane, exponentially more cost effective and still uphold national security and safety requirements’, Grant Mitchell, IDC Director said.

“We are better than today’s executive order, and we must rise up and insist that America live up to our best ideals and not our worst fears.” – Cecillia Wang, American Civil Liberties Union

The International Detention Coalition congratulates its members for their acts of solidarity and work to support migrant communities and the families of those currently detained in what is a very difficult time as a result of these orders.

We urge the Trump administration to reverse these harmful actions and instead work together with technical and legal experts, advocates and migrant communities to develop policies that effectively manage migration systems and uphold international human rights standards.