Hudson Valley's Congressional Delegation Agree about Entry Restrictions

Members of New York's Congressional delegation offered sharply different views on President Donald Trump’s executive order that temporarily halts entry from certain countries.

“I support the temporary entry restriction from certain nations until the administration, Congress and the American people know with confidence that any individual being granted admission does not pose a threat to our security," Congressman Lee Zeldin, R-1 said in a release Sunday.

The Hudson Valley's Republican and Democratic representatives did not agree.

“If the President wants to keep out dangerous terrorists, I’m all for it, but shutting out people for their faith and guys who risked their lives fighting with us in Iraq is clumsy and stupid and shows Trump is just winging it," said Rep. Sean Maloney, D-18. "You don’t need to hurt innocent people to keep us safe."

And "After careful review of the recent executive order regarding immigration policy, I believe that the order was neither well drafted nor well implemented," said Rep. John Faso, R-19.

Congresswoman Nita Lowey, D-17 argued, "We already have strict security vetting requirements for refugees, and the President's order will not make us safer."

On Saturday, news broke that more than a dozen immigrants and refugees had been detained at JFK International Airport, under Trump's new executive order to block immigration from certain Muslim countries.

Thousands flocked to JFK and Brooklyn to demonstrate; at one point Port Authority officials closed the AirTrain until Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered it restarted.

Asked about the immigration executive order on Saturday, Trump said "It’s working out very nicely," he said. "You see it at the airports, you see it all over.”

Some of the weekend's chaos quieted down when four federal judges - in Brooklyn, Seattle, Virginia, Boston - temporarily halted the ordered removal of visitors from some Muslim nations.

"It's blatantly wrong for the United States of America to callously tell thousands of people who played by the rules, went through a very long process, and were ultimately approved for entry into this country that they now must turn back, just as they reach American soil," said Rep. Eliot Engel, D-16, after the stays were issued. "It's cruel, it's heartless, and it's un-American. Judge Donnelly did the right thing tonight by slamming the brakes on President Trump's Muslim ban. As much as yesterday was a historic betrayal of our values, today's show of protest all across the country has reminded us to an even greater degree what it really means to be American. As I said today at a protest rally on immigration in Hastings and at an organizing meeting in Yonkers, we must continue to stand-up for those true American values.”

Lowey, Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said:

"For more than 200 years, the United States has been a haven and symbol of hope for people around the world fleeing persecution, violence, and unspeakable horror. Our Statue of Liberty proudly proclaims, 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses.' Yet, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, President Trump enacted an unconstitutional executive order banning people of a particular religion from entering the United States. "We already have strict security vetting requirements for refugees, and the President's order will not make us safer. In fact, our enemies will use President Trump's directive for propaganda and recruitment, bolstering their efforts to damage America's global stature and endanger the lives of US citizens at home and abroad. Even Republicans, including Vice President Pence, former Vice President Cheney, and Speaker Ryan, have criticized religious tests for entering our country. "Our nation's most powerful foreign policy tool is our moral leadership. President Trump's action does not live up to America's core values of equality and religious freedom, and he must rescind his executive order immediately."

Zeldin said in part:

"As the executive order correctly states, 'Secretaries of State and Homeland Security may, on a case-by-case basis, and when in the national interest, issue visas or other immigration benefits to nationals of countries for which visas and benefits are otherwise blocked.' Additionally, lawful permanent residents and green card holders should not be adversely impacted by this Executive Order. Every American has sympathy for the innocent person who is looking to come to America for a better life, but the process must without exception prioritize America's national security first. We cannot allow someone entry until we know for sure they will not pose a risk. The ultimate humanitarian victory is to assist with efforts to stabilize these nations and eliminate the threats there to peace...

"With all that being said, I will be closely monitoring the execution of this EO to make sure that any misapplication is corrected immediately.”

Faso said:

“After careful review of the recent executive order regarding immigration policy, I believe that the order was neither well drafted nor well implemented. Given recent events both here and abroad, we need to take steps to strengthen our nation’s security; however, this is most effectively pursued through thoughtful and deliberative legislation. While I acknowledge that the president may act in the event of a national security threat or emergency situation, this process was rushed and led to confusion. There is no doubt that we need to thoroughly vet people coming from countries where there are strongholds of ISIS and al-Qaida. At the same time, we have to balance our security with the need to respect the rights of US citizens and people who are subject to valid immigration proceedings, including lawful permanent residents.”

SEE ALSO:

• JFK Airport Protest Growing Rapidly: 100s Rally For Immigrants Detained Under Trump
• Muslim-Ban Detainees at O’Hare in Chicago to Be Freed
• Protesters Flood Logan Terminal in Boston

Photo by Simone Wilson/Patch.