WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) is seeking answers from Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly on the implementation of President Trump’s discriminatory, unconstitutional, and un-American Muslim ban executive order.
In a letter to Secretary Kelly sent today, Booker seeks answers to twelve detailed questions about the implementation of the order. In particular, Booker seeks additional clarity on whether individuals are being actively detained by Customs and Border Protection or DHS officials. Booker also asks whether DHS is issuing guidance to employees to abide by court injunctions related to the executive order.
“After an incredibly chaotic weekend, it is painfully clear that this policy change was hastily crafted with little to no coordination with key agencies like yours,” Booker wrote.
“Congress must be provided immediate clarity on the steps your agency is taking to ensure that judicial orders are followed and that the law is fairly and humanely applied to people fleeing horrible violence in other countries,” Booker continued.
The full text of the letter follows:
VIA ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION
The Honorable John Kelly
Secretary
United States Department of Homeland Security
301 7th Street, SW, Mail Stop 0150
Washington, DC 20528
Dear Secretary Kelly:
On Friday, January 27, 2017, President Trump issued an executive order that suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and precludes foreign nationals from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the United States, with exceptions for religious minorities in those countries (e.g., Christian and Jewish people). By singling out people based on their religion, this policy is discriminatory, unconstitutional, and fundamentally un-American.
After an incredibly chaotic weekend, it is painfully clear that this policy change was hastily crafted with little to no coordination with key agencies like yours.
On January 28, 2017, I visited Dulles International Airport to deliver to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and employees a copy of a temporary injunction from a federal judge requiring CBP to provide individuals affected by the executive order access to legal counsel. I was deeply disturbed that CBP employees declined to meet with me and have apparently refused to obey the injunction. Media reports indicate that CBP officials at Dulles Airport also refused to meet with members of Congress on January 29, 2017, and continued to defy the court order.
This is tremendously concerning. Congress must be provided immediate clarity on the steps your agency is taking to ensure that judicial orders are followed and that the law is fairly and humanely applied to people fleeing horrible violence in other countries. With that in mind, I have several questions for you:
The president’s executive orders on immigration are flawed, contrary to our values, and will not make us safe. We still have a lot to do to make sure that our country stays true to its values and is a beacon to other nations on how to treat fairly and humanely treat fellow human beings. Given the serious constitutional and legal implications involved, I would like a response to this letter no later than 5:00pm, February 1, 2017. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Cory A. Booker
UNITED STATES SENATOR