VIA CNN: President Donald Trump on Thursday claimed he would sign an executive order "next week" aimed at restricting US asylum rules, as he seeks to use a group of Central American migrants heading for the US border as part of his midterm election closing argument. He also suggested that the US troops he dispatched to the US-Mexico border could fire on someone in the migrant caravan if the person threw rocks or stones at them.
Melanie Nathan, Executive Director of African HRC makes the following statement with regard to Donald Trump's latest threat directed at the caravan of asylum seekers making their way through Central America toward the United States border:
The African Human Rights Coalition stands in solidarity with the caravan of asylum seekers, as well as anyone making the imperative and perilous journey to seek refuge in the United Sates, the land of the free and the country with a promise of great opportunity. In our solidarity we condemn anyone who may stand in the way of the right to seek asylum. In particular we condemn U.S. President Trump’s scapegoating of these asylum seekers for his political purposes, through untruthful fearmongering directed to win voter’s support for Republican candidates during the November midterm elections. In a plan announced this week, Trump proposed completely closing down asylum to people who arrive at places of entry, citing he will increase detention holdings through the building of tent cities. This is a shameful, racist, un-American political stunt and a direct assault on all asylum seekers and refugees. Its cruelty places women, mothers, fathers and children escaping violence in danger. The unconscionable threat promotes the idea that all asylum seekers and refugees are unworthy of American soil and the due process we have promised. This attitude and possible action leads to danger for all asylum seekers, including the very marginalized constituency of LGBTQI people seeking to escape persecution by criminalizing governments and the resulting persecution.
This does not only impact the foreigner who should be welcomed to our land, it also impacts all Americans, as through this unconscionable behavior Trump is reflecting that he does not understand the U.S. Constitution, the ideals of democracy and our commitment as Americans to human rights and related global treatise. It demonstrates that he is willing to fail his oath of office. This is a danger to us all. Please speak out! PLEASE READ US Helped Create Conditions that the Refugees Flee:
