Sen. Murray Slams President Trump’s Executive Order Halting All Refugee Resettlement, Banning Syrian Refugees: “So Much of What Makes America Great Is Our Diversity”

Executive order will temporarily halt all refugees– people fleeing violence and persecution in their home country – permanently ban Syrian Refugees

President Trump has repeatedly promised to ban Muslims from immigrating to the U.S.

Murray: “It is abhorrent that during his first week in office, President Trump is planning to slam the door on thousands of people, many of whom are women and children fleeing horrific violence” 

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) strongly condemned President Donald Trump’s executive order to implement a 120-day halt on resettlement of any refugee to the United States, a permanent ban on Syrian refugees, and an immediate 90-day suspension of immigrant and non-immigrant visas for citizens from Syria and several other Middle Eastern and African countries that are predominately Muslim. President Trump had previously called for halting entry to the U.S. by immigrants from all Muslim countries, but has shifted focus to a process of “extreme vetting.” President Trump has also repeatedly promised to establish a registry of individuals based on their religion during his campaign and has continued that rhetoric since being elected. 

“It is abhorrent that during his first week in office, President Trump is planning to slam the door on thousands of people, many of whom are women and children fleeing horrific violence in one of the worst refugee crisis in recent history,” said Senator Murray. “America has long been a place of safety for people around the world fleeing religious, political, and gender-based persecution and violence. So much of what makes America great is our diversity – and I urge this Administration to work to further our national security, not merely target individuals based on their religion or nationality.”

The executive order also makes it the policy of the Trump Administration to allow State and local governments to refuse resettlement of refugees into their community and caps the total number of refugees admitted to the United States at 50,000. President Obama had previously set the refugee cap for fiscal year 2017 at 110,000.

Though the executive orders do not include a federal religious registry, Senator Murray remains strongly concerned about President Trump’s proposals, and earlier this month, Senator Murray joined several of her Senate colleagues to introduce legislation to block establishment of a federal religious registry. The Protect American Families Act would prohibit the creation of any immigration-related registry program that classifies people based on their religion, race, age, gender, ethnicity, national origin, nationality, or citizenship.

Find more about the Protect American Families Act here.

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