Week of January 23

Here’s another round-up of what we’ve been reading and watching this week, from the news and around the web:

President Trump is expected to soon sign an executive order that would significantly change the way the United States responds to the global refugee crisis. Among other things, this order would put a 120-day hold on the resettlement of all refugees into the United States pending a review of the security screening process, and later limit the country’s intake to 50,000.

What’s more, the new order completely and indefinitely blocks refugees from Syria from entering the United States.

Besides being a stark departure from past U.S. refugee policy—and contrary to the advice of many national security experts and military leadership—the new order may also effectively endanger the lives of Iraqi interpreters and translators that served alongside our forces overseas.

International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) policy analyst, and VFAI leader, Mac McEachin spoke to the Washington Post about the implications of such a departure on Friday: “We might need interpreters in the future and the last thing you want to do is make people think we’ll use them when it’s politically expedient and then get rid of them as soon as the next administration comes in.”

VFAI leader Chase Millsap, who has been working for the past two years to bring his interpreter to the United States, has more cause for concern, “If this executive order gets signed, the chances of [my interpreter] coming here are done.”

The executive order, which may come as early as today, is drawing additional criticism because it specifically targets Muslims and Muslim majority countries. The policy coincides with the sharp rise in anti-Muslim rhetoric pervading the national dialogue, which gained traction during last year’s contentious presidential campaign.

Earlier this week, VFAI leaders Mansoor Shams and Lance Sellon teamed up to counter this hateful narrative by bringing us this call for unity. Mansoor, a Muslim Marine and Islamic youth leader, and Lance, a Christian US Army Chaplain, together describe how their brotherhood might be a blueprint for tolerance and understanding in America.

“To share a bond of brotherhood and friendship with an American who holds a different faith but who is equally willing to lay down his life for you and your beliefs is the greatness of America,” write Shams and Sellon.

For veterans in the norther Virginia, D.C., and Baltimore area, be sure to join Mansoor as he continues this conversation with local vets and Muslim community members at the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Center in Baltimore on January 29.  Be sure to RSVP here!