The executive order to ban refugees and immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries has presented us with a good image of what the current administration will be like. From handcuffing and detaining a five-year-old child to blocking legal residents from re-entering the country they call home, we cannot help but see the blind hatred, and dare I say racism, of the Trump administration. When dissidence happened, Trump fired the one who felt the order, specifically the part about prioritizing Christian refugees/immigrants, is unconstitutional. The alt-right claims this all is for security and it's the only way to have a strong nation. But the majority of people in this country did not vote for Trump, and even more are opposed to his unjust rulings. This “temporary” ban is highly unconstitutional and a direct violation of everything this country stands for.

America is a country made up of immigrants. From Revolutionary War hero Marquis Lafayette and first Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton to the droves of people coming to Ellis Island, this country is as much an immigration story as it is a land of freedom. In fact, the earliest settlers would be considered illegal. But this is not about illegal immigration. This is about innocent people being targeted because of their country and religion of origin. Refugees are being barred from entry into the “golden door” because of their country of origin and religion. They are being told that because of who they are, they are not trusted in America. Well, Trump might as well start admitting funding ISIS because he just gave them the ultimate recruitment tool. They will exploit this and make it appear that nobody in America trusts these innocent people, so they must join their fight to show superiority. ISIS praises this order, yet we are supposed to support it? We are not in blind patriotism to the president, this is not Russia (yet).

Why is it unconstitutional in the first place? Refugees/immigrants aren't official citizens yet, so the Constitution doesn't apply to them, correct? Well that's not exactly true. There's the First Amendment that prohibits the passage of a law that inhibits one's religious freedom, but this ban isn't officially prohibiting anyone from practicing Islam. However, the Establishment Clause earlier in the Constitution explicitly states that the government cannot show preference to any one religion, as proven by the Supreme Court on several occasions. By saying that only Christians will be prioritized, Trump is making it clear that his administration will only focus on the religion they supposedly follow. This violates the Establishment Clause in the most basic of ways. And while some will argue that a 1952 ruling that gives the president the ability to stop people of a certain group to not enter the country for safety, a later 1965 amendment to this law clarified that national origin nor religion is legally allowed to be the reasoning - but security can, so long as it's not only because of race. And while this entire ban is temporary, it does say that this is only until the government/Trump can decide which countries are good and which ones are bad. Because that's how America works – one person makes all the decisions without consulting anybody, not even Congress or the Judicial branch.

In 2011, when Barack Obama set a ban on Iraqi immigrants, it was because a loophole was discovered in the vetting process, thus allowing three terrorists into the country. They were properly arrested and the ban was put in place to protect both American lives and the lives of the immigrants, as more people could use this loophole and carry out an attack. His ban did not affect people with green cards, students, or people already being put through. The Trump ban does, and with great force. Even earlier than 2011 was the 1979 Iranian ban instituted by Jimmy Carter. And unlike the Trump ban, which does include Iran, this was set due to the Iranian hostage crisis (as dramatized in the film Argo). In order to best protect the American hostages and keep an advantage over the Iranian captors, Carter shut down Iranian immigration/travel, not unlike John F. Kennedy and Cuba following the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 (which was . This again did not affect those who were already coming in, just new applications. Once the crisis was over, the ban was lifted. Speaking of Iran, while it is technically a theocracy, it is not the oppressive regime conservatives/alt-right would lead you to believe. Anything to turn people against others and create an us vs. them scenario, I guess.

One must ask what the effects of this ban are already. First off, it has shown the abuses of power that Trump is capable of. When acting Attorney General Sally Yates, who was not consulted about the legality of the order, said she felt it was unconstitutional and called for judges to not follow through, specifically on those detained with green cards or other documents until the legal issues could be settled, Trump fired her, citing “betrayal” as his reason. That alone is a scary thought – what if a Senator pushes impeachment or other opposition, will they be removed due to false betrayal? Then we have the innocent people who are being sent back to war-torn and violent areas. A five-year-old child was forcibly detained and kept from his mother for questioning. He was handcuffed and brought to a room where for four hours, he was asked about who he was and why he was in America. Brilliant MIT/Ivy League students are being barred from coming back to school because they just so happened to go home for a month. A man will likely die without his family with him, as he cannot return home for heart surgery. One woman has already died because she could not get into the United States for the approved medical aide. How is this even being considered a good thing? Even though it is only a 120 day ban, it is still going to leave people stranded or even dead because Donald Trump is nothing more than a racist who blames all Muslims for the actions of a few. Maybe we should blame all alt-right people because of the Canadian mosque shooting or the hate speech put out by Steve Bannon and his stormtroopers.

The list of countries is also of high concern. Of the seven nations, none have actually funded or supported terrorism. They may have areas that are under control of terrorists, but America does too – only we call ours the KKK and the alt-right. Fifteen of the September 11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia, yet despite Trump saying we need to prevent another 9/11, he doesn't put Saudi Arabia on the list. Why? He has businesses there, and has built golf courses and even hotels. The same goes for UAE and Egypt, both of which have experienced conflict with terrorist groups, but the Trump Organization has some property there. Is this a ban to keep security, or is it to protect his business interests? He claims he has severed ties with his company, but if he doesn't release his tax returns like every other president has done, then we cannot, and should not, take his word for it. At this point, Trump is stopping innocent people from coming in, unless they're from a place he happens to enjoy. Then he doesn't mind and lets them do as the wish, but countries that have not had the grace of his failing company's business get told they aren't allowed to become American.

What is even more disgusting about this ban is how the White House is reacting to the controversies. When Fox News made up a report that the shooter at the Canadian mosque shooting was Moroccan, Trump supporters and the cabinet were ecstatic – Sean Spicer pointed to this as proof that we need the ban. Yet in reality, the terrorist involved was a white alt-right Trump supporter. Now silence. And that story of the five year old? Spicer explained that he may have been a security threat as per the new rulings. A child who makes it onto the plane is not a threat, and anyone who thinks that is once again showing nothing but racism and bigotry. What did our president do while the American people were protesting this violation? Watching Finding Dory with friends and family. I've seen Finding Dory, and it's about someone who is trying to get back with their family. Not unlike the green card holders who were barred from re-entry because they happen to be Iraqi, Iranian, or Syrian. Students are being held in what is essentially a hostage situation by the federal government because of where they are coming back from. They say this is all due toe confusion that TSA had following the issue of the order, but that too is simply a front for the Fourth Reich. This is not America – this is a dictatorship wherein only the “approved” are allowed to be treated like human beings.

This is what this ban has done already. One can only imagine the effects it will have down the road, possibly even a full Muslim ban. Of course the Trump cultists will say he never said anything about a ban, but we have audio and video evidence from December 2015 wherein he explicitly stated he wanted a “total shutdown of Muslims entering the country.” Islam is not the enemy, no matter what you may hear from ill-reputed sources. Islam is a true religion of peace, just like Christianity. And like Christianity, there are violent sects and extremists. To ban all because of some is nothing more than fearmognering. Trump keeps signing these executive orders, and he'll eventually end up banning Islam altogether in the name of security and safety, and nobody will care because he's demonized a peaceful group enough. What we need is not fear, nor is it blind hatred or even blind patriotism to the president. America does not swear allegiance to one man, we swear it to the Constitution, which was written in part by an immigrant. This ban must be either reworked or repealed, if they are serious about national security. Because if it keeps going, expect more alternative facts and bigotry to become mainstream, and the loss of a promise of liberty. These people need our help, and denying it is to let innocent people die or be forced into joining evil groups. America is a land of immigrants, no matter the nationality, religion, or color of their skin. We are the land of the free, and we cannot stand to let that go because of what a corrupt White House tells us.