REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in New York, in cooperation with the governments of Pennsylvania State and Philadelphia City, and Indonesia Diaspora Network in Philadelphia, held a discussion on Trump's policy on immigration at the New Life Praise Center, Philadelphia, on Saturday (Jan 28).

A statement by the Consulate General in New York received by Antara here on Wednesday mentioned that the discussion was participated by the Indonesian people, officials of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia administrations, as well as a number of representatives from other foreign communities.

On Jan 25, 2017, US President Donald Trump had signed an Executive Order on Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvement. One of the points in it included the tightening of immigration through arrest and deportation of illegal immigrants.

In response to this, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi urged the Indonesian citizens who live in the US to calm down. She also instructed Indonesian representatives in the country to boost safety measures and protection for all citizens in the country.

Currently, the total number of Indonesian citizens in the US is estimated at 146 thousand, and the ones who have not been registered are many more. The representatives of Indonesia in the US were also asked to conduct dialogues with the local community and approach the relevant parties in the US.

On the occasion, Indonesian Consul General in New York, Abdulkadir Jailani, said that despite the fact that the Executive Order was the domestic affairs of the US, it must still be respected by other countries. The Indonesians hope that its implementation respects the principle of law, human rights and freedom. The Consul General also stressed that the protection of the Indonesian citizens was the priority of Indonesian representatives abroad.

Governor's Advisory Commission for Asia-Pacific American Affairs, Tiffany Lawson, said that the event was very historic, because it was conducted in Philadelphia for the first time. The Pennsylvania State government highly appreciates the active role of the Indonesian Consulate General in New York in response to the current US government policy, including its attempts to interact with the consulates of other countries and non-governmental organizations engaged in the rights of immigrants.

Trump's new policy is in contrast with the Sanctuary City policy implemented in 168 counties. Sanctuary City is a policy adopted by a local government to protect the rights of immigrants, regardless of their status as long as they do not commit a crime.

Currently, an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the US enjoy the Sanctuary City policy. The counties implementing this policy are located in the states controlled by the Democrats. 

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