President Trump missteps again

It’s good that despite his brash and often Neo-Nazi outlook and his ridiculous statements about the world and about tolerance, US President Donald Trump has backtracked on his recently launched “zero tolerance” policy when it comes to illegal immigrants crossing the border with their children. While the president has not completely changed his policy, at the very least he is trying to put a halt to children being forcibly removed from their parents when illegally crossing the border.

This is a small step in the right direction. Obviously there is a lot to be desired when it comes to US immigration policy and while safeguards are needed (to an understandable extent) to protect the borders, it is inhumane to take a child from his or her parents for extended periods of time without any plan of how to reunite them or what comes after.

Indeed the entire immigration mess in the United States seemed like an awful look back in time these past few months. When the first photos of children being held in – what can only be described as “jail” – first broke it seemed like it was possible that it was real. But it was. Illegal immigrants that had crossed the border with their children to escape the violence of their own homelands were being separated from their children while they awaited trail. The kids were carted off to locations unknown and no one knew where they were going or how long they were going to be separated.

It was heartbreaking. Almost like a scene from Schindler’s List. Children lined up in fenced pens without their parents probably scared to death and not knowing what was going to happen to them. And I can only imagine how the parents must have felt. To have your child forcibly taken from you without knowing where they are going or how they are going to be treated is the most awful thing a parent could endure. My heart broke seeing all the videos of these families being ripped apart.

In the end I hope they find a better solution to all of this. I know that Trump has backtracked more because of all the pressure surrounding the controversy and not because he actually sympathizes with the people. That’s not really his style and he has made it clear from the get go how he feels about illegal immigrants. In fact his hatred has spilled over to legal immigrants who are just doing their best to provide a better life for their families in America.

At the very least, for now there is hope on the horizon for getting families back together and for dealing with illegal border crossings that doesn’t have to do with families getting torn apart. It’s sad because just a few years or so ago the world seemed so open and willing to work together and in just a short amount of time, the doors have closed again and hatred and bigotry are back with a vengeance. It’s leaders like Trump who spew hatred and racism that allow others to give in to their own racist thoughts. Because of him, intolerance has truly spread around America and we see evidence of it everyday in the form of minorities being harassed in public places for doing nothing but being there.

Well, suffice to say 2020 can’t come soon enough for a lot of people. I highly doubt Trump will get reelected and hopefully the new leader will have a little more empathy. After all, Trump is already falling quickly in the polls as people get disillusioned with his promises and the changes he has claimed he will make. Unlike here in the Philippines where our own fast-mouthed president continues to do well on the polls despite his many missteps and his constantly saying things that shock people. I think we’ll have to wait for the next election to find out what’s going to happen here.

As for Donald Trump – it is a slippery slope for him. Only time will tell if he will go the way of Richard Nixon and resign because of controversy or finish out his term. At least he is learning that it is never too late to fix a mistake and amend his hardheaded ways.

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I am happy to hear that Secretary of Justice Menardo Guevarra has overturned the decision of the Bureau of Immigration to revoke the missionary visa of Sister Patricia Fox. This has been an issue for a while and many thought that her staying here would be impossible once she made an enemy of President Duterte. However it seems that the president has kept his word about not being involved in the proceedings to determine whether or not Sister Fox could stay in the country.

I believe that she should be given a second chance. Sister Fox has given so much to Filipinos in need over the last 27 years dedicating her life to helping those who are underprivileged and hungry. She has selflessly given so much of her life to our fellowmen, deporting her just like that hardly seems like a thank you worthy of the good work she has done in the country.

Besides, she didn’t actually break our laws. She exercised her civil rights to have an opinion and join the fact-finding mission in Mindanao. Granted perhaps she should be warned to be careful of her political activities for the foreseeable future, I think it’s a bit ludicrous to be able to tell someone what they can and can’t do based solely on the fact that they are not locals in the country. As long as she wasn’t hurting anyone or breaking any law I don’t see why her actions should be a problem or have such a big impact on the president.

In either case, while her visa is not being revoked it does expire in September, which means it’s still uncertain whether or not she will be allowed to stay in the country. Some members of Congress are saying should be granted Filipino citizenship. That seems like a good idea. She is most definitely deserving.