As of President Donald Trump’s first day of office, 45 executive orders have been issued. Here are the ones that are causing the most debate across the country:
Prohibit asylum. Trump prohibits asylum for people arriving along the Southern border and coming into the United States. In simpler terms, this policy takes away protection from people who illegally enter the country from the Southern border. Illegal immigration has been a controversial topic in the U.S. for as long as immigration has existed. What makes this specific policy so contested is that it makes us question the moral compass of our president. No matter where you stand on immigration, the reality of hundreds of innocent men, women, and children being victims of violence in our country is a terrible one. Even when there were laws that protected immigrants, they still faced violence in our country; now the government has plainly stated that there we have absolutely no regard as to how illegal immigrants suffer.
End Birthright Citizenship. This executive order declares that people born in the country by “undocumented” parents are not legally United States Citizens, even though this is a right guaranteed by the Constitution. Trump claims, in his executive order, that by ending Birthright Citizenship, he is “protecting the meaning and value of American citizenship.” What Trump doesn’t realize is that all of us are immigrants (all except the indigenous people of this country). According to Pew research center, immigrants currently make up 14.3% of the US population and Birthright Citizens, according to Newsweek, are “between 20 and 25 percent for over two decades.” What frightens me is that Trump, like so many other people in the past, is targeting a specific group of people. Many times, specific groups have been targeted because of their gender, race, or religion, but in this case, it is simply because they are not originally from this country. The problem I see is that Trump is trying to create a country that is homogenous, and run by the social class of people that he considers superior (to him, that means white). And all of those who are inferior, have no rights, or simply have to leave. However, in the end, with the way he keeps thinking, there’s no one going to be left in this country, either from force, or because some will not be able to stand living in a world where they are not equal.
Declare two official sexes. Male and female are officially the only two genders of the United States. Trump claims to “defend women’s rights” by also preventing men and women from transitioning to the opposite sex. Scientifically, there are three sexes: male, female, and intersex. Though sex is often confused with gender, they are two very different things. Sex is the fundamental physical difference between men and women, such as chromosomes and reproductive organs. Gender is a social construct that defines certain characteristics that can be perceived as masculine, feminine, or otherwise. Your gender can be different from your assigned sex at birth. By declaring that there are only two sexes, Trump is only repeating scientific facts, unaware that his attempt to offend the trans community was in vain. The underlying problem still stands: Trump wants to take away trans people’s right to transition. He is halting the funding that goes to ‘gender affirming care’ for transgender youth. Trans people have always existed, and no matter what, there will be people fighting for transgender rights until they are restored.
End Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs. Trump forced federal officials administrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) to go on leave. Trump refers to DEI as “Radical And Wasteful,” and claims that DEIs were “illegal and immoral discrimination programs….” Trump’s plan to shut down DEI programs threatens the participation of diverse people in work and school environments. Diversity is important in school environments especially because it teaches young people how to interact with every kind of person, a skill that is crucial to being successful in the real world. The power of representation in everyday environments cannot be undermined, as it leads to the prejudices, or lack of, that we develop. Following the recent plane crash in D.C, Trump blamed the collision on diversity. When asked why he blamed diversity for the tragic accident, he said: “Because I have common sense.” He has made it clear that he will blame just about anything on the idea of having diversity and inclusion in this country.
Allow oil and gas drilling in wilderness areas of Alaska. Trump plans to allow gas and oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, which, according to the New York Times, is “the largest remaining stretch of wilderness in the United States.” Even though Trump may deny it, the United States is the second country that is polluting the world the most. Clearly, and based on data, oceans are rising, temperatures are increasing, droughts are frequent, and species are dying out. This executive order may benefit the industry of the United States, but it also destroys some of the last remaining wilderness. However, this does not ensure the future of our world if we are prioritizing the lives already here instead of future generations.
Withdraw from the World Health Organization. Trump claimed that the World Health Organization (WHO) was “mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic.” While there are valid reasons to doubt the validity of WHO’s protection given how they dealt with the COVID epidemic, there are many problems that we will face having dropped out of it. Firstly, without the U.S.’s funding, the WHO will likely go bankrupt, disrupting the economy and leaving thousands jobless. WHO has united countries internationally, so America dropping out could cause tensions to rise and further isolate the country from the rest of the world. Most importantly, America’s already struggling healthcare system will reduce in quality. In order to successfully protect the American people from sickness and death, the countries need to have a source of communication between them. WHO made America aware of any updates in the pandemic, as well as any other major breakthroughs in medical sciences. The effects of this withdrawal will take place anytime from a few months to a year.
Rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Trump also wants to rename Mount Denali, the highest peak in North America, after previous president William McKinley. Mount Denali, located in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve, is the Native name for the mountain and is home to Koyukon people among other Native tribes. Trump desire to rename the mountain is not popular among one of Alaska’s senators, Lisa Murkowski. She believes that the new name for the mountain would take away from the rightful name of the mountain that was, as she says, “the name that Alaska’s Koyukon Athabascans bestowed on North America’s tallest peak.”
Not only does Trump want to rename Mount Denali, but also the Gulf of Mexico. Trump claimed that the name he wants it to be, Gulf of America, “has a beautiful ring.” The United States is one of the biggest countries in the world with a huge, strong military, lots of land, and most importantly, a lot of power. Changing the name is praising a powerful country while also belittling the minority. Trump’s order to change the name is not only further glorifying the United States, but also changing centuries of history. According to the New York Times, the name “Gulf of Mexico” has been used since the 16th century by Spanish explorers. The name was even used on maps, directing sailors to land that was oceans away.
