Trump Has Lied Repeatedly About Refugees At The Border

(Photo of Central American refugees being gassed at the border, from Business Insider, is by Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters).

Donald Trump continues to try and scare Americans into supporting his immigration measures. He wants Americans to believe these people pose a danger -- probably thinking this will get people to support his needless and expensive border wall. But to do that, he has told a number of lies.

He has said these people are dangerous (criminals, gang members, terrorists). There is absolutely no proof that is true. These are people trying to escape a dangerous situation in their own country, or trying to find a decent future for their families.

He has said the refugees had to be tear-gassed because they were throwing rocks/bottles at immigration officer, and had seriously injured some officers. Not true. Those officers wore helmets, jackets, and carried shields. None received any serious injury.

He has said the immigration officials used a weaker type of tear gas against the refugees, and it posed no danger. Not true. The immigration officials only have one type of tear gas, and it can pose a danger to people -- especially young children (and there were children being gassed).

But perhaps the biggest lie he's told is that these refugees were trying to enter the United States illegally. That lie ignores U.S. law. It is NOT illegal to enter the United States and request refugee status -- and that is exactly what these people were doing. They were not trying to sneak into the country, but going to an official border crossing to turn themselves in and ask for asylum. That is their right, and that request should be decided by an immigration judge.

Trump is just demonstrating his desire for a white America. Note that this kind of action is not taken against white individuals from Canada or Europe (even those who enter to stay without the required documentation). Trump's lies about these refugees just expose him for what he is -- a racist.