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Identity

'If That Could Happen to Them, It Could Happen to Me'

This is why I oppose Trump's immigration restrictions.
Photo by Alice Zoo

This interview is part of Broadly's Voices Against the Ban series. You can read more of these voices here.

Broadly: Why do you oppose Trump's immigration restrictions?

Shamsia, 27, Surrey: He's just full of hate. The hypocrisy is unbelievable. All he cares about is money. If you look at it statistically, the countries that he's banning, have any of them committed terrorist acts in the US? What about gun control? How many mass murders are committed by non-Muslims, mass shootings, school shootings? What is he doing about them? He's pro gun. How can you have one thing and not the other? If it was justified through statistics then, okay, fair enough–but it's not at all. It's just purely targeting Muslims, so that's why I'm here. And he is not welcome here so I will be here 'til the day he comes.

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How might these new restrictions impact you or your loved ones?

Not me personally, but as a Muslim it will impact me because if a Muslim is being restricted I feel that that is hurting me, because if that could happen to them it could happen to me and Muslim or non Muslim it's a humanity thing. Don't target a particular type of race or religion overall. That's pretty much the message here today.

"If I could say one thing to Trump about the immigration restrictions I would say…"

Be open minded, talk to people, communicate, get to know each other. The reason that we have hate is because we don't speak to our neighbors so he needs to get to know his neighbors and maybe he'll be a bit more open minded.

Anything to add?

Let's start talking to each other! Communication is the key. I believe in integration.

This interview has been edited and condensed.