The United States is in turmoil as the current administration attempts to rein in unethical power over its citizens. President Donald Trump is targeting Mexican people in the U.S. for mass deportations without due process. It is crucial for Americans to defend our neighbors and uphold the integrity of our country. This cannot be done by choosing neutrality.
Unlawful processing
Americans must not remain neutral towards the unlawful processes emanating from our administration. Deportation is the legal process by which a person is arrested, detained and given a court hearing in the immigration court of the U.S. Department of Justice. This process is not what is happening to immigrants in neighborhoods across our country.
The process by which the U.S. government transports immigrants does not resemble the legal process of deportation. Instead, it emulates the unlawful act of transporting or coercing people to benefit from their service, otherwise known as human trafficking.
This process serves the Trump administration favorably because it distracts Americans from current events with international relations. This unconstitutional transportation of immigrants aligns with President Trump’s xenophobic agenda within U.S. borders. Regardless of your stance on immigration processing, our government must hold lawful integrity.
Human rights are not political
Immigrants, regardless of their citizenship, must be granted human rights. Americans have lost basic empathy for their neighbors due to radicalized rhetoric surrounding immigration. The egregious treatment of Mexican immigrants in our country is fueled by white nationalist ideologies promoted by the executive branch.
Although immigration policy is inherently political, the treatment of innocent people is a matter of human rights. Your response to the immoral treatment of people within our country is not a political stance but human rights activism.
Regardless of who you voted for or your stance on immigration policy, the mass trafficking and unconstitutional mistreatment of immigrants has escalated beyond the voting booth. Americans must stand up for their neighbors, as it’s a fundamental human right to do so.
Your neutrality is chosen ignorance
It is not only inhumane but a total moral failure to disregard the human rights issues being committed against immigrants living in America. The reality is that many people in our country are enduring international human rights violations. This includes the merciless separation of families, inhumane detention centers and the transportation of immigrants to countries different from their place of origin.
In the age of technology, it is challenging to avoid these issues. Most Americans have access to the minimal amount of information needed to understand the hate that is being driven through the country. This concept is especially true after the No Kings Protest triumphed through every major city in the country. Ignoring these injustices is a choice that perpetuates a lack of empathy that will tear our country further and further from our Constitution. Therefore, use your awareness and take a stand. There are countless ways to do so, but the first step is to acknowledge and express anger.
Families in your hometown are affected, so this issue should not be overlooked in exchange for your comfort. It is essential to recognize that immigration policy must remain a ticket topic during major elections. However, the differing views on immigration policy within our two-party system must not be at the cost of basic empathy. Political opinions will flow, but life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness apply to all people within the United States. Legal processing is necessary for all, and the United States must treat all persons constitutionally. The Constitution calls for fair treatment of all residing in this country.
Now is not the time
There is an evident divide within the U.S. two-party system. However, now is not the time for debate. We must come together to halt the mass unethical treatment of human beings within our country. America can repair immigration policies, but if continued, these current human rights issues will stain history books forever.
Americans must prioritize the Constitution over an unpredictable executive branch. All immigrants, regardless of their status in the United States, are entitled to due process under the U.S. Constitution. This fundamental right is preserved to protect any person from the deprivation of life, liberty and property without due process.
The U.S. government is expected to adhere to these proceedings under the Fourth and Fifteenth Amendments. If America’s leaders are choosing to dismantle the Constitution, then everyone is left vulnerable to mistreatment. Now is not the time to disband our country’s founding principles. Instead, we must protect our neighbors as our founding fathers intended us to.
The post Opinion: Immigration Neutrality is Weaponized Incompetence first appeared on The Daily Utah Chronicle.