Count this refugee in favor of Trump's immigration protections

In November 1985 I arrived in New York as a refugee. My family's refugee status and permission to come to the U.S. had been denied once before. I missed seeing the Statute of Liberty out of my plane window because it was night time and I was 6 years old and not sure what to look for. 

However, we were stopped on our way to Dallas. We spent the better part of the next day proving that our paperwork and affairs were in order, including getting another round of shots, before we were allowed to go on to Texas. I met my father for the first time that night.

From that time, until I was in college, I was a permanent resident. However slim, there was always a chance that if I left the country, I would not be allowed back in, if things in the world changed; we always knew of the risk but didn't think it important enough at the time.  

I didn't get around to becoming a citizen as a teenager because I was more interested in football and girls than standing in line at the INS offices.

It was time to become a citizen when I knew my future career was in the law. Citizenship was my first oath to defend the Constitution. I became a lawyer with the second oath. A prosecutor with the third. And when I joined the Air Force, the fourth. When I was promoted, the fifth.

I have seen people denied visas of all types based on silly things and bad employees of the State Department.  I have had to wait while my bags were searched when coming home as though I was a threat or a smuggler. I know of friends and family who have been denied admittance. And, yes, I know of permanent residents who were turned away before stepping on U.S. soil due to bureaucratic screw-ups.  

Is it hard sometimes to be from somewhere else? Nope. I'm happy to be different. What's more, I'm willing to subject myself to all of these tests and reaffirm my oaths to protect this country, my home. Just ask.

The recent uninformed outrage is merely a byproduct of sour grapes. The people complaining today have been silent through decades and even centuries about these types of actions taking place every day, but they suddenly find their voice in 2017. People are denied entry every day.

Protesting today is on par with the mannequin challenge, a social media version to see who's cool. The fact that you are outraged that someone campaigned, won and is following through on the things promised to his electorate is humorous and sad at the same time.  

The fact that our government wants to take a few months to come up with a better way to make sure the people coming here love our country as much as I do is fine by me. If it causes some discomfort for those wishing to join us, then so be it. Our country is worth protecting.

Good for President Donald Trump for believing in his oath as much as I do.

I truly pray G0D blesses all Americans tonight, even more than he already has, and may G0D bless those that will soon be joining us as Americans on their journey.

Tom Nowak
The Dallas Morning News/(TNS)

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Tom Nowak is a criminal defense lawyer in North Texas. This version of his earlier Facebook essay appeared in The Dallas Morning News.