A New York-based human rights organisation accused U.S. President Donald Trump of attacking refugees and asylum seekers in his State of the Union address.
Human Rights First’s Advocacy for Refugee Protection also criticised Trump’s hard-line immigration policies.
Trump, in his first State of the Union speech on Tuesday, called on the U.S. Congress to close “the deadly loopholes that have allowed MS-13 [gang members], and other criminals, to break into our country,” slamming the country’s current “broken” immigration system, which allows immigrants to bring unlimited numbers of family members.
“Our asylum system, which is full of safeguards that prevent against fraud and abuse, is a symbol of our nation’s compassion, not a ‘loophole’ as the president so flippantly dismisses,” Human Rights First’s Advocacy Strategist for Refugee Protection Jennifer Quigley said in a statement.
Quigley also criticised Trump’s policy toward the “Dreamers”, undocumented migrants, brought to the U.S. as children, saying that it will close the door to those escaping violence and terror, instead of securing borders or closing loopholes.
In September 2017, Trump announced the termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme, an executive order issued by former President Barack Obama in 2012 that protects young undocumented immigrants from deportation.
The move was delayed for six months to allow U.S. authorities to close pending applications and renewals, as well as give the congress an opportunity to pass legislation to replace it. (Sputnik/NAN)