Since 2011, conflict in Syria has reached heightened proportions. Many civilians have perished, many towns destroyed, many displaced as a result of this on going conflict. With the swearing in of the new president, Donald Trump has made some bold plans for refugees and immigrants in general. In short, while he does not want Syrian refugees to enter the United States, he has proposed that 'safe zones' for displaced families be implemented in Syria. He stated that Turkey and Germany are wrong for allowing refugees who seek asylum to enter their borders. While no details have been released about these safe zones, the Department of Defense and the State Department are currently working on the details of his plan.

Omran Daqneesh , a five year old boy from the city of Aleppo, is a stark reminder of the devastation that conflict of such magnitude can cause to civilians. His video of him being attended to by a paramedic went viral all across the globe, and he quickly became the face of the fighting in Syria. He was pulled out of a building after an airstrike. He like many other children are suffering from the conflict in Syria, however Donald Trump and his plans for 'safe zones' could just be the sliver of good that can help alleviate the concerns of safety that Syrians have.

Logistically speaking, there would be ground forces as well as an implemented no-fly zone above the 'safe zone', however it will require not only a significant amount of resources, but also cooperation amongst the United Nations and Syria. Among the many issues that face this decision, refugees are spread all over the country in pockets where different militia groups have taken control. So, establishing zones in the country might create a situation where many will find them inaccessible.

There are two primary concerns that appeal to Trump's proposition, has it worked before? and can these safe zones promote divisions between the people of Syria? In 1993 in Bosnia, 'safe zones' were created by the UN to protect the Muslim population from the Serbs, but the UN troops protecting the zones were quickly overwhelmed by the aggressors. An aspect that can prove very difficult to deal with is the possibility of rebellions sprouting up from the 'safe zones', as factions can potentially form from inside these zones supporting a particular ideology, further fueling conflict. While Trump has only stated that he supports 'safe zones' in Syria and the details are still under construction, it definitely is a step in the right direction, only time will tell.