Warner, Kaine introduce bill to overturn Trump Muslim ban

U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine have cosponsored a bill to rescind President Trump’s discriminatory executive order barring immigrants from Muslim-majority countries and suspending the U.S. refugee program.

“The President’s actions are misguided and do not reflect American values,” said Warner. “It is clear this policy was crafted with no regard to its constitutionality and the negative effects that it would have on law-abiding legal residents and individuals who have helped this country in the fight against terrorism. Our bill takes action by rescinding this ban immediately, which has already begun to alienate our allies and create chaos in our country and around the world.”

“This executive order is a religious test pure and simple,” Kaine said at Dulles International Airport yesterday. “It was Thomas Jefferson who said we do not prefer or punish people in this country because of how they worship or whether or not they choose to worship. Religious freedom is a Virginia value like no other, and it’s in the First Amendment to the Constitution for a reason.”

Warner and Kaine joined Democratic Senators Dianne Feinstein, Chuck Schumer, Dick Durbin, Amy Klobuchar, Richard Blumenthal, Ron Wyden, Maria Cantwell, Tom Udall, Chris Van Hollen, Chris Murphy, Kirsten Gillibrand, Jeff Merkley, Tom Carper, Bernie Sanders, Ed Markey, Tammy Baldwin, Ben Cardin, Martin Heinrich, Maggie Hassan, Sherrod Brown, Debbie Stabenow, Catherine Cortez-Masto, Jack Reed, Kamala Harris, Patrick Leahy, Bob Menendez, Patty Murray, Cory Booker, Sheldon Whitehouse, Al Franken, Mazie Hirono and Elizabeth Warren in introducing the bill.

Over the weekend, Warner and Kaine demanded answers from Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly  about the status of travelers being detained at Dulles International and other airports across the country as a result of President Trump’s executive order. The Senators’ offices worked throughout the weekend to offer assistance and help ensure detained travelers had access to legal representation.