Former Iraqi Translator On Why He Supports Trump’s Refugee Ban

It has provoked protests, lawsuits, and the firing of the acting attorney general. President Trump's travel ban stops all refugees from coming to the US for 120 days and stops Syrian refugees indefinitely. It also bans entry to citizens of around a rock, Syria Sudan and Yemen for the next 90 days. It has been condemned by many legal scholars, immigrants, and some Republicans and most Democrats in Congress. Many people who support Donald Trump are praising including at least one Iraqi immigrant who still goes by the code name Johnny Walker who worked with American sniper Chris Kyle and worked as a translator for US Navy Seals. He has firm and his support for President Trump's executive order and is author of the book code name Johnny Walker. Johnny welcome to the program. Thank you so much. Remind us if you would how you got to be an interpreter for the military in Iraq. Big things happen to me by accident. I am tall like six foot four and I had no option I was told when I was told I have to play basketball. When you play basketball you have to watch Hollywood movies and listen to country music. From that I became my dream to live in America and in 2003 I found [Indiscernible] and that's why it was so hard to find a job with them. They were all amazing people. I put myself out for them and the seals heard about me and picked me up. When did you come to America? 2009. Why? Because it is the land of freedom. I dreamed about it when I was a teenager and I wanted to have a better place for my kids to live. We have seen a lot about rage and big protests across the country over President Trump's immigration order that affects predominantly Muslim countries. You are Muslim and to support the policy. Why does this policy make sense to you. Because I want to feel safe in this country. I do not want to carry my gun again and protect my family. I do not want to sleep with my AK-47 underneath my pillow waiting for somebody to attack me or attack my family. I do not want to have that feeling again the same feeling I had back in Iraq. If you look at the seven countries especially Syria -- I lived in Iraq Syria was next door to me. There's no database or nothing. And how you can feel safe if you bring someone to live next door to you it makes no sense Isis is apparently celebrating this travel restriction. It's calling it a blessed band because it will turn more Muslims against America. Is that a problem? No it's only uneducated people against the US and it's the only people with Obama agendas against [Indiscernible]. Let's give him a chance. Is a three months and that see what we can do. In the last three years without this travel ban have he felt insecure and the United States? I feel not secure when Obama was running the country because he made a lot of mistakes. He pulled the troops from Iraq. He did not support our freedom which is our troops. He cut the budget. How will he be a great nation if we do not have people to protect us. You went through the visa process and the vetting process to get here. Where do you see gaps in the security. From 2005 until 2009 I had a visa for four years. We all struggled me and my family. I did not complain about it. I feel this is the way it should be. We need to filter people that come to the United States and we need to give people that deserve this chance because I know you guys as Americans did not feel how much the United States values. When I was a teenager the only dream I had was United States. It was worth it to wait and it was worth it to pay the price and it was worth it to feel safe when you come here. So many people who live in those countries must share the same dreams that you had and now they will not be able to come here. They will one day and why is the United States. What about Canada or China or Muslim rich countries. Why no one accepts the refugees. When you're going through the process of being approved to come to the United States did you see that the security was lax. Security I'm not saying is perfect but it is good enough. Why is it good enough now? It is not good enough now because I worked with seals shoulder by shoulder. I lost my brother. I love almost got killed many times I just got lucky and every day I prove my trust with my blood. So I paid the price. Even people who work with Americans now are being held up from getting to face us. For 90 days And they will be scrutinized more stringently than you were. They stop it for 90 days and I am very sure the Trump administration will do everything to give a second chance to people that deserve it One last question. The Cato Institute did a study where no citizen from these seven countries have killed an American on American soil in the last 40 years. So why would you feel insecure in your home if people after being securely vetted from this country were let into the United States. I share their pain for all the refugees. We have to be fair and asked to our own people now. We have people that are starving we have veterans that do not have medical. They go to the VA and they give them a hard time. We have a lot of people that have no job. How that would take care of those people. We cannot build and fix our house how will we help other people? I have been speaking with former Iraqi interpreter for US troops who goes by the code name Johnny Walker. Thank you Nam.