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609
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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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)

By

Nancy Updike

Song:

“Give Me Your Tired Your Poor” by The Suntones
Act Four

How Do You Solve A Problem Like Sharia?

Ira talks with a very skeptical national security expert about whether this order actually secures the nation. (8 minutes)

By

Ira Glass
Act Five

It’s Not Easy Being Green

We revisit a refugee who’s been resettled in America, and on our show in the past—Abdi Nor—to see what he thinks. (3 minutes)

Song:

“Up In The Air” by Brett Harris

Related

If you enjoyed this episode, you may like these
456: Reap What You Sow
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Last Summer, Alabama passed HB56, the most sweeping immigration bill in the country.
128: Four Corners
Apr. 30, 1999

Act Four: How To Become An American

Writer Achy Obejas reads a piece of short fiction from her book, We Came All the Way from Cuba So You Could Dress Like This? (11 minutes)
592: Are We There Yet?
July 29, 2016

Act One: Field of Interrupted Dreams

One good place to see how this ad hoc response is working is at an abandoned baseball stadium in Athens.

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