U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) today released the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order banning refugees from entering the United States and suspending visas for citizens of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
“President Trump’s executive order banning refugees from entering the United States is deeply disturbing. While we all agree we need to provide for a strong national security, this approach is wrong, ineffective and jeopardizes the fundamental pillars of our constitution and the values that make this nation great: freedom of religion, compassion and justice. If you come to my hometown of Dearborn, you will see that Arab Americans and refugees are part of the fabric of our community – they are our doctors, teachers, small business owners and servicemembers, and they are among the most loyal and patriotic Americans I know. To single out this population for discrimination is wrong and reminiscent of one of the darkest periods in our nation’s history – when thousands of Japanese-Americans were targeted and imprisoned in internment camps during World War II.
“You can’t ‘make America great’ by eroding the very values that made it that way in the first place. Terror can be wrought by any race or religion and by forces both outside and inside our borders. Instead of creating division and reinforcing hatred, we need to focus on how we can all join together to keep our nation safe and secure.”
