Barriers around America
WASHINGTON Setting a hardline tone on national security, US President Donald Trump yesterday ordered strict new screening for refugees, to keep ‘‘radical Islamic terrorists’’ out of the US, and alternated tough talk with kind words in his diplomatic standoff with Mexico.
Trump joined Defence Secretary James Mattis at the Pentagon for the signing of an executive action to bring sweeping changes to the nation’s refugee policies and put in motion his plans to build up the nation’s military.
‘‘We want to ensure that we are not admitting into our country the very threats our soldiers are fighting overseas,’’ he said. ‘‘We only want to admit those into our country who will support our country and love deeply our people.’’
During his election campaign against Hillary Clinton, Trump pledged to put in place ‘‘extreme vetting’’ procedures to screen people coming to the US from countries with terrorism ties. The White House did not immediately release details of the order Trump signed, but a draft called for suspending the issuing of visas to people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for at least 30 days.
Joined earlier in the day at the REUTERS White House by British Prime Minister Theresa May, Trump reaffirmed the US’s ‘‘special relationship’’ with Great Britain.
But he was also asked about more contentious issues, including his recent statements that torture ‘‘does work’’ in prying information out of terror suspects. Giving ground, he said Mattis’s opposition would override his own beliefs.
Several hours later he stood at the Pentagon as Mattis, a retired general, was sworn in as the military’s chief.
Trump said he would defer to the views of Mattis, who has questioned the effectiveness of such practices as waterboarding, which simulates drowning.
‘‘He has stated publicly that he does not necessarily believe in torture or waterboarding, or however you want to define it . . . I don’t necessarily agree. But I would tell you that he will override because I’m giving him that power. He’s an expert,’’ Trump said.
The draft order, which the White House said was not official, also would reverse former president Barack Obama’s effort to close the military detention centre at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba – a place Trump has said he wants to fill up ‘‘with bad dudes’’.
The draft also requests recommendations on whether the US should reopen CIA detention facilities outside the US. Critics say the clandestine sites have marred America’s image on the world stage.
Trump held firm yesterday on another controversy – trade and illegal immigration from Mexico. He told reporters at a joint news conference with May that he had a ‘‘very good call’’ with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto earlier in the day, but he reaffirmed his belief that Mexico had ‘‘outnegotiated and beat us to a pulp’’ on trade – and that this would change.
‘‘We’re no longer going to be the country that doesn’t know what it’s doing,’’ he declared a day after the Mexican leader cancelled a planned visit to Washington in response to Trump’s plans to build a border wall and make Mexico pay for it.
While the refugee actions are aimed at thwarting terrorists, the border wall is more for keeping out immigrants trying to enter the US for economic reasons – though Trump has continually also raised concerns about criminals flowing north.
The flurry of national security moves and foreign policy outreach capped a hectic first week for Trump at the White House, giving Americans an initial look at how he intends to position the US around the globe.
Trump, who met with the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon, has the authority to determine how many refugees are accepted annually, and he can suspend the programme at any time.
Refugee processing was suspended in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, but was restarted several months later.
During the past budget year, the US accepted 84,995 refugees, including 12,587 people from Syria. Obama had set the refugee limit for this budget year at GETTY IMAGES 110,000. Trump, according to the draft of the executive action, plans to cut that to 50,000.
The draft order says that while the programme is suspended, the US may admit people on a case-bycase basis ‘‘when in the national interest’’.
The government will also continue to process refugee requests from people claiming religious persecution, ‘‘provided that the religion . . . is a minority religion in the individual’s country’’. This suggests it would allow the admission of Christians from Muslim-majority countries.
In an interview with CBN News, Trump said persecuted Christians would be given priority in applying for refugee status. ‘‘We are going to help them,’’ he said. ‘‘They’ve been horribly treated.’’
While it was applauded by some in his Republican Party, Trump’s refugee action was strongly criticised by some Democrats. ‘‘Tears are running down the cheeks of the Statue of Liberty tonight as a grand tradition of America, welcoming immigrants, that has existed since America was founded has been stomped upon,’’ said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. AP