Letter: Trump immigration plan not new

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To the editor:

Donald Trump was recently criticized for suggesting that the U.S. should temporarily suspend the immigration of certain ethnic groups, nationalities and even people of certain religions (Muslims). The criticisms condemned such a suggestion as, among other things, being “un-American,” dumb, stupid, reckless, dangerous and racist. Well, let’s take a look.

The Immigration and Nationalist Act of 1952, also known as the McCarran-Walter Act, allows for the suspension of entry or imposition of restrictions by the president.

When the president finds that the entry of aliens or of any class of aliens in the U.S. would be detrimental to the interests of the U.S., the president may, by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or non-immigrant’s or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.

Now get this. McCarran was a Democrat senator from Nevada and Walter was a Democrat congressman from Pennsylvania. The act was vetoed by then president Harry Truman but overridden by Congress to become law.

In 1979, Jimmy Carter, Democrat president, used the law to keep Iranians out of the U.S., and he actually made all Iranian students already here check in, and then he deported seven thousand students who were found in violation of their visas and 15,000 Iranians were deported.

Why is Donald Trump being criticized as un-American? His immigration idea is not new. He stole it from the Democrats.

Phil Cordes

Seymour

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