Students react to the Trump presidency’s policy changes

Students+react+to+the+Trump+presidency%E2%80%99s+policy+changes

Ross Genetti, Noah Pitarelli, Staff Reporter, Staff Reporter

Many students have voiced their opinions on President Donald Trump’s executive orders issued during his first 100 days in office.

Above all, people shared concern towards his first immigration order. Within the first two months of Trump’s time in office, he has managed to release two different editions of this order.

The first of these orders, put into effect in January, banned seven predominantly Muslim countries from immigration for 120 days. Three of these countries, Iran, Sudan and Syria, fall on the State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism. The rest of these countries, Iraq, Libya, Somalia and Yemen, are named as terrorist safe havens according to the State Department.

This caused distress when immigrants with legal documentation, like green cards and previously approved visas, were detained with no given reason. Many people view the situation as an act of racism while others viewed it simply as a safety precaution.

Senior Chris Vidal supports this order seeing it as a way for President Trump to increase national protection.

“I think it’s pretty smart. With all that is happening with ISIS, it’s a pretty smart idea, and he’s a pretty smart guy,” Vidal said.

Another senior, Mayra Zuniga, believes it is biased. “I do not support the immigration policy because I feel that he’s not taking everybody into consideration, and he’s tearing lives and families apart,” Zuniga said. “This is inhumane for me because everybody deserves to have a chance. Even if they are running away from problems, or whatever the situation is, it’s just inhumane.”

President Trump put his 16th executive order into action March 6. This is the second edition to his immigration policy because the first was struck down by the courts.

Similar to the first, the second order postpones immigration but only for 90 days from the countries of Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Libya. Iraq was previously listed, but it was removed for its recent information sharing with the United States.

Unlike the first, the new order built in a grace period so those in transit with approved visas would not be stopped at the airport. This one also excluded green card holders.

One student is in agreement with this executive order.

“I think he’s banning the right countries from entering,” junior Sam DeLuke said.

Junior John Autry believes that denying immigration is, “un-American.”

“Illegal immigration is a problem, but deportation of people with green cards is wrong and tears families apart,” Autry said.

Immigration bans aside, another key element of Trump’s foreign policy involves the building of a wall between the United States and Mexico. Trump enacted this construction in an executive order he signed Jan. 25.

This wall policy does not have a sense of frugality to sophomore Sydney Crisanti.

“His wall policy is dumb to me. It just wastes money and will raise the price of avocados,” Crisanti said. “Plus, cities on the borders rely on each other economy wise, and that would harm that.”
Crisanti has other ideas on what Trump should focus on in his first 100 days. “The best way to improve would be to end NAFTA, keep trade sanctions with Russia the way they are and bring more jobs back to the United States by implementing tax,” Crisanti said.

Freshman Andrew Conroy also has his own advice for President Trump.

“I would say economically we need to raise the minimum wage,” Conroy said. “There are too many working minimum wage jobs that can’t afford the basics and have to rely on public assistance.”

When it comes down to it, Zuniga believes that Trump’s policies should not be based on stereotypes.
Zuniga said, “I think race does not define a country. I think that a country is defined by what you do to be better, to achieve success. It’s not all about who is who, or what color they are, what sex, what gender. That has nothing to do with the future and nothing to do with jobs or equality. Everybody deserves an opportunity.”