Against the essence of the United States

The president has trumpeted this temporary ruling in his favor as a victory for US security, given that the court has accepted that the national interest has priority over any possible damage the ban might cause immigrants and refugees. But it isn’t the same: the president’s rhetoric includes a xenophobic component that is very dangerous for a democracy. The discriminatory bias, particularly against Muslims, of the occupant of the White House since his first day in office in restricting access to the country goes against the very essence of the founding of the United States: an idea applied over the centuries that the country is a land where people from all over the world can find freedom, political and religious, as well as prosperity. The warning issued by courts in different states that Trump’s plans are based on “intolerance, animosity, and discrimination” should not go unheeded.

Fom now on, the door will be closed to refugees and citizens of many countries who pose no threat to anybody

And although the ruling is by no means definitive and will be revised by the Supreme Court in October, it means that from now on, the door will be closed to refugees and citizens of many countries who pose no threat to anybody. What’s more, history shows beyond all debate that the United States attained its status as a global democratic superpower thanks to people arriving there from all over the world, among them members of Trump’s own family.

English version by Nick Lyne.