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President Donald Trump’s recent travel ban has struck a chord with many Chinese Americans, who have arranged rallies to support the controversial policy, claiming that it will ensure “the security of the nation.”
The order, issued by Trump on Jan. 27, temporarily bars the entry of anyone from seven predominantly Muslim countries. While the president’s hawkishness has irritated many people, his order has galvanized remarkable support from many Chinese Americans, who are usually not interested in politics.
“Trump is the only politician who dares to challenge political correctness in order to point out the real problems facing America. You can't deny the fact that there are terrorists lurking among certain ethnic groups, and it’s not wrong to take precautions. The order may not be perfect, it may even be harsh, but I think it’s necessary for our security,” Wang Cheng (pseudonym), a 45-year-old Chinese American living in New York, told People’s Daily Online.
Some nongovernment organizations run by Chinese Americans have also voiced their support for President Trump. CAFT, the Chinese Americans for Trump movement, an informal group made up mostly of Chinese Americans, has shown its discontent with “political rightness” in the U.S., claiming on its website that, “The Democrats have made it NOT okay to call Islamic Extremism for what it is....That is NOT the America we knew and loved.”
Social media platforms have also been used to voice support for the travel ban. Civil Right, a WeChat public account run by Chinese Americans, called for a rally in New York to support Trump on Feb. 5, as well as publishing articles and commentaries to defend the travel ban.
But not all Chinese Americans are optimistic about the controversial policy. Many opponents claim that it will only “jeopardize” the legal rights of minority groups, including the Chinese-American community.
“The executive order is basically a Muslim ban. If we allow Trump to ban certain groups at will, Chinese Americans might be next. We shouldn’t tolerate such injustice,” said Alex Shi, a 27-year-old student in New York.