WASHINGTON, D.C. — In an executive order today, President Trump froze the refugee admissions program and ordered changes in how the United States processes visa applications.
The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum:
“President Trump’s executive order to suspend America’s refugee system and severely curtail numbers is a dramatic departure from our nation’s values.
“America is better when we lead with freedom, not fear. We cannot allow fear to dictate our decisions. We must act with requisite caution, but also with compassion and moral clarity.”
“This order does nothing to improve our national security. Potential refugees spend years waiting in camps as they undergo vetting already more extreme than for anyone else who wants to come here. The stringent requirements include multiple security clearances before an individual ever sets foot on American soil.
“Restricting a religion, even in the guise of basing it on the region someone has fled, is as short-sighted as it is immoral. More intelligent would be to increase resources dedicated to regional refugee processing centers so security checks occur in timely fashion.
“We do not want to return to a dark time when our lives were dominated by fear. America is better than this.”