February 3, 2017

It’s Working Out Very Nicely

This week we document what happened when the President’s executive order went into effect temporarily banning travel from seven countries, and we talk about the way it was implemented. A major policy change thrown into the world like a fastball with no warning. It’s hard not to ask: “What just happened? What was that all about?”

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Transcript

Protesters at JFK Airport. Photo by Katy Scoggin.

Prologue

This week we document what happened when the President’s executive order went into effect, and talk about the way it was implemented. A major policy change thrown into the world like a fastball with no warning. It’s hard not to ask: “What just happened? What was that all about?” (13 minutes)

By

Ira Glass

Act One

Basket of Deportables

The news of the executive order broke while immigrants and refugees were mid-flight. That meant they were stranded in airports around the country. Zoe Chace has one of their stories, from JFK. (10 minutes)

By

Zoe Chace

Song:

“Hey!” by Narcy

Act Two

Heavy Vetting

One of the justifications for the executive order from the administration was that we needed to temporarily stop admitting immigrants and refugees from these seven countries in order to scrutinize and improve the vetting process. Ira speaks with the vetters about how they vet and what they make of the new order. (11 minutes)

By

Ira Glass

Act Three

Statement of Purpose

There is one line in the executive order that justifies its existence. It’s the second sentence in section 1. Nancy Updike scrutinizes this line of reasoning. (9 minutes)