Van Hollen, Murphy Introduce Bill to Block President Trump’s Re-Issued Travel Ban

After President Donald Trump re-issued his harmful restriction on refugees and immigrants from sixMuslim-majority nations in Africa and the Middle East, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), both members of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, joined 14 Senators in introducing legislation to reverse the executive order and block its implementation.

Specifically, the bill - which is similar to legislation they introduced in January to block the first iteration of the Trump administration's travel ban - would withhold funding to enforce the executive order. The bill also declares the executive order illegal based on the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, which banned discrimination against immigrants on the basis of national origin.

"President Trump's revised executive order will weaken, not strengthen, the security of Americans by playing into the hands of enemies like ISIS," said Senator Van Hollen. "We must fight to protect the rights, freedoms, and security of all people, which is why Congress should pass this bill to block the dangerous executive order from being implemented. President Trump has engaged in fear-mongering about visitors and refugees from these six countries, and this executive order is a fake solution to the real security issues we face."

Original cosponsors of the bill also include U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).