Rep. Chu, Sen. Coons on Reports that White House is Considering Dramatic Expansion of Muslim Ban

U.S. Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27) and U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), authors of the NO BAN Act, released the following statements in response to reports that the White House is considering expanding its Muslim Ban to additional countries.

"The Muslim Ban is a dangerous policy rooted in bigotry and xenophobia, sold to the American public through misinformation and innuendo. That is why we are fighting back with the one thing Donald Trump's policy lacks most: evidence," said Rep. Chu. "Our bill, the NO BAN Act would end the Muslim Ban and require any President who wanted to implement a similarly broad ban to demonstrate an actual threat with actual evidence. This is particularly important because, as we saw with the recent provocation against Iran, Donald Trump believes neither Congress nor the American people deserve explanations or justifications for his actions. We will not just let prejudice become policy and that's why, if this expanded ban is issued, we must move forward with consideration of the NO BAN Act immediately."

"Thousands of families have already been torn apart because of President Trump's discriminatory Muslim Ban that does not make us safer. Now, thousands more spouses, parents, grandparents, children, siblings, and friends could be separated by the expansion of this senseless ban," said Senator Coons. "This policy is wrong, it is un-American, and I will fight it. We must pass the NO BAN Act immediately to bring relief to families that have already been separated and make it clear that, in the United States, we will not tolerate discrimination based on religion or nationality."

The National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants (NO BAN) Act repeals the three versions of President Trump's Muslim Ban, strengthens the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, and restores the separation of powers by limiting overly broad executive authority to issue future travel bans. The bill has 209 cosponsors in the House and 39 in the Senate.