TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) -- Congresswoman Martha McSally (R) is the latest Arizona lawmaker to react to President Donald Trump's immigration executive order.
Congresswoman McSally released the following statement to KGUN9 on Monday:
"We are a nation of immigrants but that must be balanced with the foremost priority of the federal government - protecting the American people. I served on a Congressional task force focused on combating ISIS that found very real and dangerous gaps in our vetting processes. Likewise, our own intelligence officials have expressed vulnerabilities with these processes, which is why taking a comprehensive look at them is prudent and should be expected of any new administration. However, I have concerns about certain individuals being denied entry, such as green card holders, those who served alongside our military, and partner military service members who train here, such as Iraqi pilots in Tucson. Those issues must be addressed and remedied immediately."
In a joint statement, Republican U.S. Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham said:
"Our government has a responsibility to defend our borders, but we must do so in a way that makes us safer and upholds all that is decent and exceptional about our nation.It is clear from the confusion at our airports across the nation that President Trump's executive order was not properly vetted. We are particularly concerned by reports that this order went into effect with little to no consultation with the Departments of State, Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security.Such a hasty process risks harmful results. We should not stop green-card holders from returning to the country they call home. We should not stop those who have served as interpreters for our military and diplomats from seeking refuge in the country they risked their lives to help. And we should not turn our backs on those refugees who have been shown through extensive vetting to pose no demonstrable threat to our nation, and who have suffered unspeakable horrors, most of them women and children.Ultimately, we fear this executive order will become a self-inflicted wound in the fight against terrorism. At this very moment, American troops are fighting side-by-side with our Iraqi partners to defeat ISIL. But this executive order bans Iraqi pilots from coming to military bases in Arizona to fight our common enemies. Our most important allies in the fight against ISIL are the vast majority of Muslims who reject its apocalyptic ideology of hatred. This executive order sends a signal, intended or not, that America does not want Muslims coming into our country. That is why we fear this executive order may do more to help terrorist recruitment than improve our security."
U.S. Senator Jeff Flake (R) Tweeted out this response to the order:
"President Trump and his administration are right to be concerned about national security, but it's unacceptable when even legal permanent residents are being detained or turned away at airports and ports of entry. Enhancing long term national security requires that we have a clear-eyed view of radical Islamic terrorism without ascribing radical Islamic terrorist views to all Muslims.
Congressman Tom O'Halleran, (D) posted this statement on his website:
"My first responsibility in Congress is to strengthen our national security and protect our communities. President Trump's broad executive order banning refugees from entering our country fails to make America more secure. It ignores our real national security needs and has created chaos at our nation's airports. I agree with Sen. McCain that 'this executive order may do more to help terrorist recruitment than improve our security.'On Friday, Donald Trump signed an executive order restricting immigration into the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries for the next 90 days. The seven countries, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Iran, Somalia, Yemen, and Sudan, were named "countries of concern" in 2016. In addition, the order suspends the US Refugee Admissions Program for 120 days and reduces the number of refugees admitted into the country by more than half."This executive order does not represent our nation's values. We can ensure refugees and immigrants coming into our country are properly vetted without violating our Constitution or the bedrock ideals of our democracy. Arizona families deserve to know their communities are safe and secure, and I will work tirelessly with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to strengthen our long-term national security."
Congressman Raul M. Grijalva (D) released this statement:
"In recognizing today as Holocaust Remembrance Day, Donald Trump released a statement that reads, in part, 'we know that in the darkest hours of humanity, light shines the brightest. As we remember those who died, we are deeply grateful to those who risked their lives to save the innocent.'Just hours later, Trump signed an executive order blocking thousands of refugees from seeking safe-haven in the United States. To shut the doors on the weakest and most desperate on the planet is to set a policy in direct contradiction to the heroism Trump praised just hours earlier. The United States of America has never known a politics as toxic as this. We've never had a leader craven enough to praise the very bravery in others that he refuses to exhibit in himself. Donald Trump's cowardice defines our national policy and reflects on our values for as long as he holds office, and I hope for all of our sakes, and for the sake of desperate refugees, that time period is as short as possible.Trump got one thing right in his statement: Dark times do allow lights to shine bright. We saw that with the Women's Marches in Washington, across the country, and around the world rejecting his hate. We see it with the twitter accounts popping up thanks to public servants in federal agencies who refuse to cow to Trump's gag orders. And we see it in the press - the often maligned journalists whose work of holding a dishonest administration accountable has never been as important as it is right now.Collectively, we all refuse to cower under Trump's shadow. The stain he has placed on the White House cannot outlast the good in humanity that is shining past him each and every day. People will undoubtedly perish as a result of this executive order. I am committed, as I believe the vast majority of decent people across this country are committed, to ending this horrifying policy as soon as humanly possible."
Congressman Paul Gosar (R) released this statement:
"I fully support President Trump's Executive Order to strengthen our immigration and refugee screening process. We know for a fact that terrorists are trying to infiltrate the ranks of refugees and other visitors coming to the United States. Furthermore, leaders from the FBI, National Counterterrorism Center and the Department of Homeland Security have testified before Congress that they do not have the necessary resources to thoroughly vet refugees. To ignore this reality, as the Obama Administration did, would be a dereliction of duty. This temporary pause in accepting refugees and immigrants from terrorist strongholds is not only legal-it is the necessary first step to positively reforming our refugee program. Above all else, this action will uphold the most important job of the federal government-to provide for the national defense of the American people."
Congressman Andy Biggs (R) has this statement posted on his website:
"The growth of radical Islamic terrorism over the past two decades has changed the dangers facing the world. From September 11th to the many tragic events carried out by terrorists in the United States and around the world, the importance of vetting immigrants coming to America to ensure they pose no security threat has never been higher.President Donald Trump's recent executive order to strengthen and control our immigrant vetting system is rooted in a sincere desire to prioritize the safety and security of Americans, and is based on historical precedent. For example, the Obama administration temporarily suspended visas from Iraqi nationals in 2011, following FBI intelligence that terrorists were exploiting the system, and restricted use of the visa-waiver program for the same seven countries highlighted in President Trump's executive order in 2015. While President Trump's order needs clarification and Congressional oversight, it is within his constitutional authority and fulfills a need for stricter vetting of immigrants.This order is exactly what President Trump said he would do during the campaign, and he should be applauded for following through with his promises. The United States of America will always be a nation of and compassionate to immigrants, but we must ensure the safety of American citizens above all else. I look forward to working with the White House and Congress to this end."
Congressman Ruben Gallego (D) sent in a message along with Gold Star Father Khizr Khan, who made a speech at the Democratic National Convention. Below is Rep. Gallego's statement:
"A lot my friends that died in Iraq are buried next to Mr. Khan's son - Captain Khan. I would often go to Arlington and wonder the story behind his great son, a patriotic American. Just like many other Americans who never came home, my friends were all from different backgrounds. These are the families that best represent America, families like the Khan family. We have veterans who have served and sacrificed, and Trump will never understand those words. This is why you see Democrats in Congress fighting tooth and nail against the Trump agenda. We will not allow him to rip apart this country through his hate. We will say to our community, both immigrant and minority communities, we will fight these reckless policies. We will never stop fighting for an America worthy of families like Mr. Khan and Captain Khan's."
Congressman Trent Franks (R) had this to say about the executive order:
"America is a proud nation of immigrants and we will continue to show compassion to those fleeing oppression, but we will do so while protecting our own citizens and border. America has always been the land of the free and home of the brave. We will keep it free and keep it safe, as the media knows, but refuses to say. My policy is similar to what President Obama did in 2011 when he banned visas for refugees from Iraq for six months. The seven countries named in the Executive Order are the same countries previously identified by the Obama administration as sources of terror. To be clear, this is not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely reporting. This is not about religion - this is about terror and keeping our country safe. There are over 40 different countries worldwide that are majority Muslim that are not affected by this order. We will again be issuing visas to all countries once we are sure we have reviewed and implemented the most secure policies over the next 90 days. I have tremendous feeling for the people involved in this horrific humanitarian crisis in Syria. My first priority will always be to protect and serve our country, but as President I will find ways to help all those who are suffering."
On January 30th, Rep. Franks also posted this, regarding what he calls "ensuing hysteria from the Left":
"I agree with the President's statement on the Executive Order on immigration. Once the implementation has been smoothed out, the Executive Order will ultimately ensure those who want to come to America, those who respect and share our values, will find a welcome refuge through "the golden door". Those tired, poor, and huddled masses, those homeless and tempest-tossed, who are willing to respect our Constitution and way of life, will be granted asylum and maybe even a new home. Those who wish to do us harm or who despise the values which make us great will no longer be naively welcomed with open arms."
Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema (D) Tweeted this response:
"Yesterday's executive action banning refugees violates fundamental American values. We do not turn our backs on families and children fleeing persecution, genocide, and war. They come to the U.S., they come to Arizona, for the same reasons our forefathers did -- to live in a land of freedom, liberty and justice for all. In America, we judge not on where a person is from or on one's religious beliefs, but on the content of one's character.
I have worked for and support measures ensuring those who come to the United States are vetted and share our vision of the American Dream, and those who threaten our freedoms are denied entry. I'll continue to work for effective solutions that protect our country and our freedoms. I will not condone efforts that violate the very framework of our democracy and weaken our long-term security."
Congressman David Schkweikert did not release a statement on his website of social media pages.
