Recently, I wrote a post listing some of the things President Trump has done that I like since he re-entered the White House. Besides running for president in the first place, there are a number of things Trump has done that I don’t support. This is a partial list.

1. Trump’s nondiscriminatory policy toward illegal immigrants. Trump should be lauded for his efforts to incarcerate or deport illegal immigrants who are part of drug cartels or organized criminal gangs, or who have committed violent crimes in the United States, and for his better control of the U. S. borders. Unfortunately, he has decided that all illegal immigrants are to be treated the same way as drug lords, gang members, and rapists and murderers. This is unconscionable. There are many illegal immigrants, or undocumented aliens, whichever term you prefer, who have been here for years, or even were brought here as children by their parents, who are making good with their lives and contributing to their communities. These people should, and I believe have a right, to make a case for why they came to the U. S. and why they should stay. We need a process for them to do so, and we currently don’t have one. But to treat them as if they were criminals in line with those mentioned above is beyond the pale and simply not right.
2. Removing sanctuary status from churches, schools, and hospitals. In line with his treating all those who entered the country illegally over the years the same, Trump removed sanctuary status from churches, schools, and hospitals in his efforts to deports the “millions and millions” of “criminal illegal aliens” from the U. S. This is atrocious! Churches for centuries have been regarded as sanctuaries where governments cannot intrude to remove the accused, at least for a designated period of time, allowing the accused to build a case for his or her defense. The image of federal agents entering a church to remove people from pews, from choir lofts, or even from sanctuaries in the effort to deport these “criminals” from our midst ought to send shivers down the backs of every politician who supports Trump. The same applies to schools and hospitals. If they know that federal agents can remove their children from schools, parents will be less likely to send them to school, so there goes how many years of education out the window. If a person is afraid that going to the hospital for a serious infection or injury means he is putting himself at risk of deportation, then how likely will he seek the medical care he needs? Happily, Tom Homan, a practicing Catholics, has said he has no plans for going into churches, schools, and hospitals in search of undocumented aliens. One has to wonder how many members of Tren de Aragua he’s likely to find singing in the choir, anyway.
3. Suspending funding for refugee programs in the U. S. Again, related to Trump’s immigration policy, he froze funds deligated for refugee resettlement programs. Around $65 million was committed to the USCCB and affiliates for refugee services. The State Department suspended funding with no warning on January 24. The bishops, as reported by Catholic News Agency, said the suspension of funds has been “devestating.” The bishop’s resettlement program awaits millions of dollars in reimbursements for services already provided to refugees, with more millions spent each week. The bishops, of course, have not stopped their ministry to refugees, doing what they can. But without government funding and support, they can’t resettle refugees anywhere. The bishops have been working with the U. S. government for almost fifty years resettling refugees. These are not people who have entered the country illegally, but those who have been vetted by the U. S. and given permission to be here. But the bishops’ efforts to resettle them has come to a halt, as there is no funding or cooperation from the U. S. government in the effort. The U. S. bishops are suing the Trump administration for the unjustified and untimely freeze.
4. Executive Order on greater access to and decreased cost of IVF therapy. On February 18, Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at increasing access to and decreasing the cost of In-Vitro Fertalization therapies. He also alluded to the federal government paying for the procedure to help decrease cost. This will likely increase the number of couples, or even single women and same-sex couples, accessing IVF. The treatment is intended for those with fertility problems to hopefully allow them to have children. It is also being used for single women who don’t necessarily have fertility problems, but simply want to have a baby without waiting to get married or even entering into a relationship with a man. The treatment has also been used by same-sex couples for obvious reasons. The moral problems with IVF are numerous. First, the procedure relies on collecting sperm from the husband by means other than natural copulation with his wife, means that constitute mortal sin. Sometimes a donor’s sperm is used, which creates other moral problems, because now you have a child who is the offspring of a man who is not married to the child’s mother. This happens often enough because of sad or difficult circumstances, but it is not intended that children be purposefully sired into such a relationship. Sometimes a surrogate woman and/or donor woman is used, which creates the same moral problem from the other side. In the case of single women or same-sex couples using IVF, you have the problem of children growing up without fathers, or without a mother and a father, which children deserve. Again, there are many times when this happens because of the sad or difficult circumstances of life, and we do the best we can. But it is immoral to purposefully plan for a child to be raised without a mother and a father. Finally, the process of IVF involves the morally monstrous practice of either freezing human embryos, which means freezing human beings, for future use, and/or destroying human embryos, which means destroying human beings, who are not ideal or who may be “extras” that are not needed and so discarded. American taxpayers, just like we’re not supposed to be paying for abortions (though sometimes we do), should not be forced to pay for a procudure that is morally repugnant to them. Trump is not a Catholic, so I don’t expect him to understand this. Even still, it is not his business to force this upon American taxpayers who are repulsed by the moral horrors of IVF.
5. Freezing foreign aid. Shortly after entering office, Trump froze all foreign aid from the U. S. This has caused havoc around the world. Reuters reports examples of the life-saving services that have come to a halt as a result of the freeze: Insecticides and mosquito nets in Africa sitting in storage awaiting U. S. officials to approve their use; HIV patients not receiving needed medications in Haiti so mothers will not give the virus to their children; and mayhem in Myanmar over food distribution to those suffering famine. Reuters goes on: “Nearly three weeks into U. S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping freeze on foreign aid, life-saving programs across the globe remain shut as humanitarian workers struggle to secure U. S. government waivers meant to keep them open.” Waivers have been issued for “life-saving humanitarian assistance,” but who is eligible for such waivers and how they’re issued is causing confusion among aid workers, who rely on information from U. S. officials, but whose communication with those officials has broken down because many have been fired and those who haven’t been have been ordered not to discuss the waivers. What? Stop the confusion!
6. Changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. In one of his dozens of Executive Orders, Trump changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. This is pure jingoism. To put the cherry on top of a bad tasting sundae, Trump limited the Associated Press’ participation in his official events and press conferences until they change their style manual to reflect the change in the name to the Gulf. Of course, Trump’s EO only applies to the U. S. He can’t enforce such a change on the rest of the world, and I doubt the rest of the world is terribly eager to go along. It’s been the Gulf of Mexico for centuries, and changing it means updating a lot of school books, atlases, maps, and globes. That’s a big price tag. Who’s up for that? Maybe Trump, but not many others. What’s even the point? Oh, I forgot. Trump’s ego is the point.
7. Trump’s eye on Greenland. I understand the strategic advantages of possessing Greenland. But Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Denmark isn’t interested in selling. So, what is Trump going to do? Take it? He says the people of Greenland want to be a part of the U. S. In reality, the people of Greenland are already highly independent from Denmark and will likely gain independence in the near future, which is what they want. So far, all the key players are telling Trump, “Hands off!”
8. O Canada! Trump says he wants to make Canada the 51st state. This is ridiculous! Canada isn’t interested, so what is Trump going to do? Again, is he simply going to take it? Is that what our military is for, conquering countries with no interest in joining the United States? Leave Canada be.

Well, there’s a partial list of things Trump has done, or wants to do, that I don’t support. I’m sure I’m missing something. But I’ll leave it at that for now. Doubtless, there will be plenty of things Trump does that I won’t support that will inspire conversation.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.