As the battle between the White House and federal courts continue over the executive order banning entry for people from seven Muslim-majority countries, we decided to look at the way that this is affecting people in West Michigan.
MA: Can you tell me why you left Iraq?
[Martin: Arabic]
[BS: translator] I left Iraq because the war was getting worse and our family was attacked and we had to leave to another country for safety, for ourselves and our family.
That’s Martin, he’s a green-card-holder who came here as a refugee eight years ago and agreed to do this interview, only if we changed his name—he says he’s scared. But more importantly he’s afraid that the executive order will mean he has to chose between life in the United States, and seeing his parents. Oh and by the way.
MA: Can I ask you what your faith is?
M: Messiheh
BS: Christian
His family went to Syria and from there, his parents and other family members were sent to Canada, while he and a few other relatives were sent to Michigan. Now a weekend trip to visit them could mean he can’t come back. And not coming back would have consequences.
[Martin in Arabic] “Yes, I might lose my residency here, my green card, and I won’t be able to apply for my citizenship, I’ve been living here for eight years.
Even though Martin, who is Christian, was affected, it could be argued that his situation was an unintended consequence. The president’s campaign promise was specifically to ban entry of Muslim refugees right?
My name is Layth Alhaidary, I was born and Raised in Iraq, Bagdad in 1982. I am an American Citizen, I have been in America seven years and a half.
Alhaidary does identify as Muslim, and he is from one of the courtiers on the list, but despite being an American citizen, the ban negatively affected an important part of life. His love life.
“I set up the house, and I’m waiting for my fiancé, waiting for her to get married to start a family but unfortunately Trump destroyed everything, simply.”
His fiancé was all-but approved for a visa when the executive order went into effect.
“I feel I am unlucky because of this”
Luck aside, the effects of this order have been so wide-reaching, even congressional republicans have criticized it. WGVU’s Patrick Center asked US Representative Justin Amash how fellow members of the house viewed the order.
“You don’t run into too many people who aren’t concerned with how it played out. And you have a number of people who are concerned about the green card issue. I think the bottom line is: people think this should have been more thought out, that it should have gone through a better review process, that they perhaps should have had discussions with some of the chairmen of our committees who deal with these issues.”
One of the issues that would have likely come up with more consultation is the effects on business, from Silicon Valley tech firms, to apple orchards in Michigan.
“Immigrants have an impact on the local economy at all levels.”
That’s Nate Wolf a Grand Rapids employment law and immigration attorney who teaches law at Davenport and Cooley Law Schools. He says the order could put both employees and employers in difficult situations, from farming jobs to medical research jobs.
“Some of his immigration policies have an adverse effect and an adverse impact on the immigrant community and certainly on employers who wish to recruit and retain the best-skilled labor, including immigrant labor.
For now the ban is off. Though, it will likely go to the Supreme court. And what that will mean for people like Martin and Alhaidary is anybody’s guess. But Alhaidary did have one hope beyond his personal situation that he wanted to call attention to. Something, he values about living in the United States. Something, he hopes to see strengthened: Rule of law.
“Our country, America, has been established through strong law. If we lose the law, it’s going to be like, jungle.”
Patrick Center and Daniel Boothe both contributed to this story, and Basel Shatara translated from Arabic to English. I’m Mariano Avila WGVU News.
