Sen. Warner on executive order on refugee program

U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued a statement regarding the Trump Administration executive order on the U.S. refugee program.

“The Trump Administration executive order that indefinitely suspends the Syrian refugee program and pauses visas from Muslim countries runs counter to our American values. While I have always been open to a pause on our refugee program to ensure appropriate time for intelligence and law enforcement experts to ensure we protect our national security, these actions by the President presume the solution before the review is complete. It is a policy targeting Muslims that national security experts have testified would harm, not help, our national security interests. I join the interfaith community in Virginia and around the country in objecting to these moves, and I will work in Congress to block an effort which trades dubious increases in U.S. security for certain alienation of partners with whom we must cooperate to address terrorism.”