New Democrat Coalition Chair’s Statement on President Trump’s Travel Ban 2.0
The New Democrat Coalition Chair Jim Himes (CT-04) released the following statement on President Trump’s updated National Security Executive Order:
“President Trump’s newest iteration of a travel ban on citizens from six majority-Muslim countries presents a serious threat to our national security by undermining our counter-terrorism work with Muslim partners in the region. The intelligence community and Department of Homeland Security have concluded that targeting these specific countries with a travel ban will not make Americans safer and that national origin is not a good predictor of likely terrorist activity – conclusions that President Trump and his Administration have ignored and actively tried to suppress. The Executive Order excludes many countries that have hosted radicalized terrorists in the past. Further, by banning all refugees, it’s clear the travel ban is still deeply flawed and not in our national security interest.
“The flimsy ‘fixes’ the Administration incorporated to the order try to cover its flawed premise, its fundamental lack of humanity, and undermining of American values with minor technical adjustments. Allowing entry to green card holders, current visa holders and other permanent residents should never have been in question. Due to the lack of coordination with the Departments of Homeland Security, State, and others the Trump administration set off a flurry of confusion that resulted in our nation’s allies around the world questioning our moral standing. Our policy should remain to thoroughly vet those seeking shelter in our country, a process incorporating several agencies involved and lasting up to 24 months, to ensure the security of our citizens as best we can while still upholding our fundamental American values.”
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