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Murphy's bill would withhold any funding to enforce the executive order and declares it illegal based on the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, which banned discrimination against immigrants on the basis of national origin.
Murphy, a Democrat and member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, argues that immigration based on religion violates the U.S. Constitution and fuels ISIS recruitment propaganda.
Original cosponsors of Murphy’s bill include U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). Murphy’s bill complements two measures set to be introduced by U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).
“President Trump’s irresponsible and shameful executive order makes America less safe, and Congress needs to block its implementation immediately. Trump has handed ISIS a recruitment gift that ultimately will get Americans killed,” Murphy said. “We’ve already seen its consequences. Connecticut resident Fadi Kassar’s five year-old and eight year-old daughters were turned away at the airport on Saturday morning traveling from Syria after being approved as refugees. Those kids are the exact same ages as my two sons. Thinking about how scared they must have been, and still are, makes me furious. Congress needs to show the world that America is better than this.”
Murphy added: “Trump’s discriminatory executive order does not reflect who we are as Americans, and it puts our service members and the American public at risk. Both Republicans and Democrats criticized Trump for campaign promises of a ban on Muslims. Now that Trump’s hateful rhetoric is reality, it’s time for all Members of Congress to stand up and support our bill.”
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