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Friday March 29, 2024

Trump vs the constitution

By our correspondents
September 30, 2016

Donald Trump has come up with a clearly unconstitutional plan for the US. If elected president he says he may establish a national database registry of all Muslim Americans, who will all be required to register. He also says that Muslims might be required to wear special identification on their clothing, similar to the Yellow Star of David worn by Jews in Europe during the Nazi period. He says he believes in ‘extreme vetting’ of those from countries that have terrorism concerns; this definitely includes Pakistan. His ideas go against at least three clauses of the US constitution. According to the US constitution, a government may neither favour nor disfavour any religion. Moreover, having a mark of identification on their clothing can be contested in the federal court.  Also, targeting American Muslims on the basis of their faith is a violation of the constitution.

Trump has also stated that he would close down mosques. This will turn the US into a totalitarian state. As for Ben Carson suggesting that a Muslim cannot become the US president, that implies a religious test for public office – which the US constitution specifically prohibits.

Omar Mirza

USA