WASHINGTON DC, USA—The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) strongly opposes the anti-immigrant Executive Orders issued this week by the Trump Administration. These policies expand deportation, criminalize immigrants, defund sanctuary cities, and enforce harmful border policies.
Additionally, President Trump is expected to issue an Executive Order in the coming days that will halt the entire U.S. refugee resettlement program for 120 days, slash overall refugee admissions by at least 50%, ban the arrival of Syrian refugees indefinitely, and suspend travel from “countries of particular concern” widely understood to be a first step toward banning visas from many Muslim majority countries — the beginnings of a ban on Muslims.
These anti-refugee, anti-immigrant, and anti-Muslim policies target communities of color and perpetuate racial and religious profiling. Sikh Americans, Muslim Americans, and all people of faith should have the freedom to pray without backlash from their government and to walk the streets devoid of fear of being harassed based on the way they look or the language they speak.
Our communities are stronger when we stand united against hate and remain united under our common values to freely practice our faith and to simply exist without fear, intimidation, or threat of physical violence. As an organization dedicated to upholding the social justice and religious freedom of all, SALDEF will continue to work to protect the civil rights of Sikh Americans and stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters from Muslim, Black, Indigenous, LGBTQ, and other targeted communities.
Every Nation has right to protect its citizens from harm by immigrants.
It is not good to have immigrants who have a violent tendency as neighbors.
That is why we have Nations to keep violent people away.
Keep up the good work.