Donald Trump was severely criticized for suggesting that the US should limit or suspend the immigration of certain ethnic groups, nationalities and religious groups. Congressmen, senators, Hillary and even our president called Trump’s plan dumb, stupid, outrageous, reckless, un-American and unconstitutional.

Shouldn’t these elected officials know that a selective ban is and has been law since 1952? It is called the McCarren-Walter Act of 1952. The law allows for the suspension of entry or imposition of restrictions whenever the president finds that the entry of aliens into the US would be detrimental to the interests of our country. By proclamation, the president may suspend the entry of all aliens and immigrants or impose restrictions he may deem appropriate.

Democratic President Jimmy Carter enacted this process to keep Iranians out of the US. Actually he investigated all Iranian students who were already in the US. Many visa violations were found and 15,000 Iranians were forced to leave the US in 1979.

Additionally, the law by this act requires that an “applicant for immigration must be of good moral character and in agreement with the principles of our Constitution.” Therefore, since the Quran forbids Muslims to swear allegiance to the US Constitution, technically they should be refused immigration to our country.

Perhaps Trump knows more about fixing our problems than some might think. To make American great again doesn’t sound like too bad of an idea.

Miles A. Barrere

Wilmington