Donald Trump’s attempt to redefine birthright citizenship through executive order is blatantly unconstitutional. In decades of serving as an assistant U.S. attorney, I can’t remember seeing another executive action which so clearly violated the Constitution. Trump’s reckless sharpie-signed proclamations are not only unlawful but are counterproductive. The United States has an orderly, well-vetted, years-long process for admitting foreigners who assist our nation’s war efforts. This assistance is vital in saving the lives of soldiers in any war. In Trump’s first week, he recklessly suspended this process for 1,600 Afghans, many of whom risked their lives providing intelligence, interpreter services and other valuable assistance to our military.

Courageous young men and women in our military volunteered to defend our nation from foreign adversaries, not to camp out on remote stretches of our border and install concertina wire to bar people seeking refuge from persecution, war or natural disasters. Indeed, our troops are prohibited by law from performing law enforcement duties under the Posse Comitatus Act. Further, Trump’s elimination of the CBP One app has in reality converted an orderly, online process into a chaotic situation at the southwest border.

A detailed presentence investigation (PSI) report setting forth criminal, education and work histories exists for each person convicted of a Jan. 6 crime. Rather than tasking the Justice Department with a promised case-by-case review of each of these PSI reports and making rational decisions, Trump haphazardly issued blanket pardons. Our President shamefully excused unlawful violence which gravely harmed Capitol Police officers.

Sadly, America will now be in decline as a result of four years of continued incompetence from this White House.

James M. Moore
Bangor

(In 2020, James Moore retired as an Assistant U.S. Attorney after more than 30 years of federal service.)