The heart-breaking images of children and civilians suffering and dying as a result of the latest deadly chemical weapons attack, mainly the one using sarin, along with the continual tensions surrounding the situation, Trump called for a retaliatory missile strike in the nation—which seems somewhat counterintuitive as he’s essentially bombing Syria because Syria had bombed innocent civilians, but at least it’s a start. As a result, American Democrats are attempting to use this questionable plan of action by Trump to further raise political opposition against his executive order temporarily preventing the entrance of refugees into the United States.

Numerous lawmakers displayed support for the Democrat outcry regarding the issue, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton—who has openly voiced her support for the United States aiding and accepting refugees.

At a luncheon in Texas last Friday, Clinton made her position clear in saying, “I hope this administration will move forward in a way that is both strategic and consistent with our values. And I also hope that they will recognize that we cannot in one breath speak of protecting Syrian babies and in the next close America’s doors to them.” Thus, Clinton’s pointing out of the hypocrisy of the Trump administration in relation to Syria until now strengthens her argument and supports her humanitarian agenda.

Currently, the Trump administration is in the midst of various court battles regarding Trump’s revised executive order on travel and refugees. The proposed revision would ban travel to the United States by citizens of six mainly Muslim countries—which would include Syria. This same executive order would temporarily halt all refugee resettlement in the United States. However, the order’s enforcement is presently paused by federal courts, who are not in full agreement with it in its existing state and with the ethics surrounding it.

Trump alleges that he was highly disturbed by the images from Syria, but administration officials have stated that there was no talk of altering the country’s refugee policy as discussions over Thursday’s military action occurred.

Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster dismissively responded to an inquiry regarding the refugee this past Thursday by declaring, “No, that wasn’t discussed as any part of the deliberations.”

Democratic lawmakers, various of whom are actively against Trump’s proposed executive order regarding refugees, believe it is challenging to understand Trump’s concern for the victims of the horrific attack by the Syrian government on civilians with the utilization of sarin, when taking into account his insistence on this policy to limit refugee resettlement within the United States as much as possible. It’s hard to comprehend how the allegedly strong sympathy he feels for the victims would not motivate him to help refugees suffering these consequences escape.

Virginia Democrat Representative Donald S. Beyer recently said, “If President Trump is, as he claims, motivated by humanitarian impulses and a concern for the suffering of Syrian civilians, then we should see a redoubling of humanitarian efforts, an increase in humanitarian assistance finding and a lifting of the refugee ban. Cruise missile alone are not the solution.”

Echoing this opinion, California Democrat Senator Kamala D. Harris declared that the administration should engage in discussion with Congress prior to deciding how to go about dealing with Syria—which would include rethinking the controversial executive order. Harris believes that if the images of Syrian suffering prompted Trump’s actions, then those same images “should also compel the administration to rethink its misguided refugee policy and open our doors to the children and families fleeing ongoing violence and oppression in Syria and elsewhere.”

Maryland Democrat, Representative Elijah E. Cummings, has shown himself more radical in that he pushed for a concrete action to be taken. Cummings urged Trump to immediately repeal his ban on refugees.

The Justice Department, which is arguing in favor of the executive order in court, refused to comment this past Friday regarding the existence of discussions about modifying the policy. There is no concrete notion of how the Justice Department aims to deal with the administration’s acute shift in position relating to the military strike in court filings which are scheduled to be addressed on Friday in a major travel ban case.

The International Refugee Assistance Project is, unsurprisingly, pleading Trump to respond to the Syrian conflict—which has ‘caused the largest refugee crisis the world has ever seen”—with a more empathetic approach.

“Rather than pay lip service to the plight of innocent Syrian children, President Trump should provide actual solutions for the children who have been languishing in refugee camps for years,” said a statement released by the group, which filed lawsuits against Trump’s administration over the executive order. “Many refugee children have been left in life or death situations following the President’s executive order, which suspends and severely curtails the U.S. resettlement program.”

Featured Image via Wikimedia.