President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday barring Syrian refugees from the U. S. \u201cuntil further notice.\u201d
The executive order states that Syrian refugees may not enter the U. S. until their admission into the country is deemed \u201cconsistent with the national interest.\u201d The U. S. refugee program has been suspended for 120 days, and persons from several predominantly-Muslim, terror-prone countries \u2014 specifically Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen \u2014 may not travel to the U. S. for 90 days. The president\u2019s order went into effect immediately.
\u201cThe entry of nationals of Syria as refugees is detrimental to the interests of the United States,\u201d the order reads.
The travel restrictions put in place by the executive order give the administration time to develop an improved screening process for foreign visitors.
\u201cNumerous foreign-born individuals have been convicted or implicated in terrorism-related crimes \u2026 including foreign nationals who entered the United States after receiving visitor, student, or employment visas, or who entered through the United States refugee resettlement program,\u201d the president\u2019s order explains.
\u201cThe United States must be vigilant during the visa-issuance process to ensure that those approved for admission do not intend to harm Americans and that they have no ties to terrorism,\u201d the order further states.
The executive order makes good on Trump\u2019s campaign promises to strengthen America\u2019s borders and prevent individuals who may pose a national security threat from entering the country.
\u201cWe don\u2019t want them here. We want to ensure that we are not admitting into our countries the very threats that our soldiers are fighting overseas,\u201d he said Friday. Trump asserts that the order is designed to \u201ckeep radical Islamic terrorists out of the United States of America\u201d and \u201cto protect the American people.\u201d
\u201cWe only want to admit those into our country who love our country, and love deeply our people,\u201d Trump added.
The order gives the Department of Homeland Security the authority to prioritize refugee claims made \u201con the basis of religious based persecution,\u201d as long as the applicant is of \u201ca minority religion in the individual\u2019s country of nationality.\u201d The caveat gives room for special exceptions of Yazidi or Christian refugees ISIS targets particularly for extermination or slavery.
\u201cWe are going to help them,\u201d Trump said, talking about Christians persecuted abroad, \u201cThey\u2019ve been horribly treated.\u201d
\u201cDo you know if you were a Christian in Syria it was impossible, at least very tough, to get into the United States? If you were a Muslim you could come, but if you were a Christian, it was almost impossible,\u201d Trump explained.
\u201cThey were chopping off the heads of everybody, but more so the Christians. And I thought it was very, very unfair,\u201d he added.
Opponents have decried Trump\u2019s order as a \u201cMuslim ban.\u201d
\u201cMake no mistake \u2014 this is a Muslim ban,\u201d Sen. Kamala Harris, a California Democrat, said in response.
\u201cPresident Trump has cloaked what is a discriminatory ban against nationals of Muslim countries under the banner of national security,\u201d Greg Chen of the American Immigration Lawyers Association told reporters.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations intends to challenge the order\u2019s constitutionality, arguing that it is discrimination in violation of the freedom of religion.
\u201cThere is no evidence that refugees \u2014 the most thoroughly vetted of all people entering our nation \u2014 are a threat to national security,\u201d CAIR National Litigation Director Lena F. Masri said in a statement. \u201cThis is an order that is based on bigotry, not reality.\u201d
Others, however, have praised Trump\u2019s latest move.
\u201cOur number one responsibility is to protect the homeland,\u201d House Speaker Paul Ryan said, adding, \u201cPresident Trump is right to make sure we are doing everything possible to know exactly who is entering our country.\u201d
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