In response to a caravan of Central American migrants heading north, President Donald Trump announced his intent to punish El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala by withholding U.S. aid dollars, because, in the president's words, they "were not able to do the job of stopping people from leaving their country."
We've heard similar threats from Trump before. During his campaign he insisted Mexico would pay for a border wall. And why should Mexico pay for our wall? Because Mexico was not stopping its people from leaving.
The president doesn't seem to understand that freedom of movement is a basic human right, and that no government has the right to prevent its people from leaving. To my knowledge, there is only one country in the world that currently prevents its citizens from leaving: North Korea. Is Trump suggesting El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala be more like North Korea and imprison or mow down its people if they attempt to leave the country?
In trying to score political points off the plight of migrants heading north, Trump has set our moral compass due south.
Chris Handsone
ADVERTISEMENT
Duluth
