Press Release
Published on March 5, 2020
More than 50 former diplomatic, national security and military officials call on Congress to overturn Trump Administration’s discriminatory, nationality-based bans on entry from Muslim-majority countries
Washington D.C. – More than 50 former military, diplomatic and national security officials, including Michael Hayden, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Samantha Power, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Rand Beers, the former acting secretary of homeland security, Matthew Olsen, former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, and Michael Morell, former acting director of the CIA are urging congressional support of the NO BAN Act in a letter to Congress released today. The bill would overturn the versions of the executive orders banning travel and immigration from predominantly Muslim countries. In a letter to members of Congress, retired flag officers, former ambassadors, and national security officials laid out the humanitarian consequences of the Muslim Ban, including the separation of American citizens from their family members abroad, and exposed how President Trump’s orders have been unnecessary and counterproductive to U.S. national interests.
“The United States has the most rigorous vetting procedures in the world, which it applies to every applicant for entry to the country,” the letter reads. “Our national security and intelligence agencies have the capacity to screen all people seeking entry without resorting to discriminatory bans that inflict harm on innocents. Indeed, they have done just that for decades.”
The NO BAN Act, which has been introduced in both the House and the Senate, would ensure that restrictions on entry into the United States are tailored to meet a compelling national security interest, preserving the authority of presidents to deny entry in a manner consistent with past practice. The bill would also prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion when determining eligibility for entry under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
To read the full text of the letter and the full list of signers please visit: No Ban Act National Security Letter.
