Bullets whiz by and air strikes whistle above the heads of terrified, screaming children running away in the midst of a civil war. Yet despite the brutal war in Syria that has raged on since 2011, the Trump Administration continues to implement travel bans and enforce policies restricting thousands of helpless refugees from seeking refuge in the United States. According to CNN, the State Department data states that, “The US has resettled just 44 Syrian refugees” over a six month period. With these new regulations imposed, the number of refugees admitted into the country decreases at a significant rate. As expected, not everyone agrees with these decisions and immigration has developed into a controversial topic today.

Layan Alnajjar, a student at Hall and of Syrian background, was questioned about her overall views regarding the ongoing crisis. “I think the Syrian refugee crisis is a massive issue that America, in ways, turns a blind eye towards,” she says. In spite of the severity of the situation, the refugees haven’t gained enough national attention. However, involvement in political and ethical affairs increases the awareness needed “to ensure safety and asylum for these refugees.” It’s crucial that the public be made aware of the role of the federal government, and the lack of aid provided for those desperate in need. Even though they’re quick to intervene from a military position, they hinder any possible form of resettlement for the Syrians entangled in the war conflict.

Likewise, they announced that the maximum refugee intake is 45,000, “the lowest ceiling in decades for the US refugee admission,” CNNPolitics said. President Trump strongly influences this shocking number due to his beliefs that terrorist groups such as ISIS, could devise a plan to attack US homeland by “exploiting refugees.”

Overall, this crisis needs to be widely addressed to ensure that the public is properly informed of the context and circumstances at hand. By doing so they’re also aware of what they can do as an individual and as a citizen of their country. Everyday innocent civilians are dying, everyday people desperately seek refuge, everyday you are capable of making a change.