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Identity

'We're Just People'

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?

Sukayna, 34, Toronto: I personally oppose it because I think it's just barbaric. We've taken so many steps forward towards accepting people, to understanding the plight of people, to clearing up the mess that borders create, and what Trump's done is taken it all backwards. What he's allowed to happen is for people that were hidden racists or [secretly anti-refugee], he's given them a whole new platform of action now. You saw that in Quebec just a few days ago. It's horrible, and I'm not saying Canada is voice of anything horrible, but for something like that to happen shows that in a pretty peace loving place like Canada that has it's issues, it just exemplified everything. I'm not a fan of borders to begin with. I think refugees should be welcome everywhere. We have a lot to share. We have so much to share. And I think we were on that trajectory and Trump just pushed it all back. The good thing is we're all out here.

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

It's funny you ask. It is impacting my loved ones because a lot of us have either British passports or Canadian passports but I'm third generation… It's funny because my uncle, my aunt, and my cousins are actually going to Iraq today, and because Iraq and Iran now have a retaliation, like a reverse retaliation, do you know what I mean? [My family members are] British, but now they're scared. They're like, "Are we gonna be able to get into Iraq?" and they're going for a holy pilgrimage. So you see, it's not just affecting people coming here. In no way am I saying it's [that] bad for us, no. It's more horrible on the actual refugees coming into the US. But even the other way around, they all have American passports. My cousin actually works for an American firm, was born in Iraq. It's a huge fiasco for everybody and they're like you know what? If we get turned back, we get turned back. That's fine, we'd rather get turned back from Iraq because they're retaliating and you can't blame them. But it even affects the people who aren't coming in from the other way around. It's both ways, you know. It's just a mess.

"If I could say anything to Trump about the immigration restrictions I would say…?"

God, his mom was an immigrant. Think about it. Your mom was an immigrant. Two of your three wives were immigrants… The whole world is based on immigration. I even hate the word "immigrant." Do you know what I mean? We're just people. What is this label even? Stop labeling people immigrant, refugee, we're all people. I think that he's lost sight of that. He fell into his wonderful capitalist bubble and he's loving it and reaping all the benefits and he's not realizing that there's so many people suffering. If this had happened when his mom was immigrating—maybe it should have happened because then we wouldn't have had Trump.

Any additional comments?

I just think that, to the people that are out here today, don't be disheartened. We may not get results ASAP, but it means so much to people that are impacted by it just to see this, just to stand in solidarity with people it means so much. He may not get impeached. We may have him for another eight years but just to stand together and let people know that you stand for something that's so much better. Even just saying hi to a Muslim person on the street or being a little nicer to a refugee or making your voice heard means so much to people, it really does. Any little effort is effort and that's all that matters.

This interview has been edited and condensed.