Senator Lankford Statement on President Trump’s Immigration & Refugee Executive Order

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford’s (R-OK) comment on President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order: 

“As leaders, we have a responsibility to secure the homeland. The executive action issued Friday is a 90-day pause and reevaluation of the screening process for individuals traveling from seven war-torn nations and a 120-day pause for the refugee resettlement program. It is not a ban on Muslims or a permanent change in immigration policy. This executive action has some unintended consequences that were not well thought out. I encourage the president’s staff to evaluate American policy with an eye on both security and compassion for the refugees fleeing the terrors of war and persecution. For decades, our resettlement program has maintained a very extensive multi-year screening process for refugees from all over the world. There are unique challenges when you accept refugees from countries like Syria and Yemen, but American security and intelligence communities are second to none. America can have strong homeland security and uphold our foundational values of religious freedom and refuge for the persecuted. These goals are not mutually exclusive. We should also encourage, not discourage, people who have gone through the legal visa and immigration process. America has always welcomed people from different walks of life, religions and countries, and we should continue doing so.”

The Executive Order includes a temporary visa immigration ban from seven war-torn nations. Those nations were included in a law, signed by President Obama, that identifies “countries of concern.” The countries are Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Some Muslim-majority nations, like Saudia Arabia, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates or Egypt, were not included. For more about the Executive Order, CLICK HERE. 

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