Ruppersberger: Trump's Executive Order 'Goes Too Far'

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger says President Donald Trump's refugee program and immigrant executive order "goes too far."

Ruppersberger was at BWI airport Sunday night as thousands gathered to protest Trump's executive order.

Representative Andy Harris (R-MD) says he supports President Donald Trump's executive order that suspended the nation's refugee program for four months and instituted a 90-day ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.

Baltimore Mayor Catherine E. Pugh said the refugee executive order "does not reflect the principles and core values of the America that I know."

Read Congressman Ruppersberger full statement below:

"Last night, I was proud to join a rally at BWI Airport against President Trump's recent executive action on immigration and refugees. This group of peaceful protestors – young and old, of every color and religion imaginable – exercising their right to be heard is what America is all about.
I have told President Trump that I stand ready to work with him wherever possible and I have been selective in my criticisms throughout his first days in office. But this Executive Order, which temporarily bans immigrants from seven Muslim nations and suspends the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program – indefinitely for Syrians – goes too far.

While I am pleased to hear that individuals holding green cards will now be permitted re-entry to the country, I am strongly opposed to other elements of the Order, including a religion-test for exemptions. And we simply cannot close our doors to the families fleeing violence, persecution and sometimes death at the hands of our mutual enemy. This will do little to protect our citizens, as our refugee vetting process is already the most stringent in the world. And you can be sure ISIS will be using this to recruit: already, jihad supporters are hailing the Order as a victory on social media.

Finally, I am extremely concerned about the Administration's careless implementation of this Order. According to media reports, some senior members of his Cabinet were not involved in drafting the Order or even fully briefed before the President signed it. It not only embarrasses the President, but our country. The President has access to the best legal scholars in the country. He should rely on those experts and not just the people in his inner circle that do not have experience in these areas.

Mass confusion about the Order's scope and even its constitutionality prove the Administration did not do its homework.

I call on the Administration to comply with orders from federal judges to temporarily halt the travel ban until its legality is fully reviewed."

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