Garbage In (Office), Garbage Out (Of Mouth)

“The solitary Afghan man who allegedly shot two members of the West Virginia National Guard near the White House last week, killing a 20-year-old woman and critically wounding a 24-year-old man, gave the president exactly the pretext he needed to crush the hopes of desperate people here and around the world. Trump started with Afghans, canceling all U.S. visas issued to Afghans abroad and barring visa holders from entering the country, including men and women who aided the 20-year American war effort in Afghanistan. He halted asylum hearings in the U.S. for all migrants; announced that green cards issued to migrants from 19 countries … This broad assault against the right of refuge is being staged on a heap of lies. Trump suggested that he would never have allowed the alleged gunman—who had served in a CIA-trained unit during the war—and others like him into the country; in fact Trump criticized President Joe Biden for leaving Afghan allies behind after the fall of Kabul in 2021, and the alleged gunman was granted U.S. asylum in April, under Trump.” George Packer in The Atlantic (Gift Article): Condemning Millions for One Man’s Crime.

+ “‘When they come from hell and they complain and do nothing but bitch, we don’t want them in our country. Let them go back to where they came from and fix it,’ Mr. Trump added as Vice President JD Vance banged the table in encouragement.” NYT (Gift Article): Trump Calls Somalis ‘Garbage’ He Doesn’t Want in the Country.

+ Federal agents begin immigration operations in New Orleans and Minneapolis.