Chesco Congressman Ryan Costello Issues Statement On Refugee Ban

Chester County's U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello issued a statement in response to President Trump's refugee executive order last week, which banned residents from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States for 90 days.

Costello's statement seemed to support Trump's ban, although said that he saw the orders as a "temporary" situation, and did condemn the restriction on green card holders.

The orders also indefinitely banned refugees from Syria from entering the country, in addition to the 90 day stay on immigrants from Sudan, Somalia, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, and Iran.

Costello attempted to frame the danger posed by refugrees from these countries as bipartisan.

"I support a comprehensive review of this process over the next 90 days, and especially concerning the 7 countries identified by the Obama and Trump administrations as being dangerous terrorist hotspots," he wrote. "This review is something every new administration should be expected to do."

Costello, like many other moderate Republicans, avoided taking a stance on Trump during the election. During the primary season, Costello spoke of his admiration for both Jeb Bush and John Kasich.

"Green card holders and those assisting us in the war on terror should not be denied entry, and actions to the contrary must be remedied immediately," he added. "America is a country that can go about achieving our security objectives while maintaining compassion....We should all want a robust yet humane process for entry screening, and I am confident we can and will continue the American ethos of welcoming the persecuted and oppressed in a safe and orderly manner, with very strong security protections for our citizens."

Costello convincingly won re-election to his second term in Congress in November, defeating Democratic candidate Mike Parrish. The 6th district has been Republican since 2003, when longtime Congressman Jim Gerlach first came into office.

Images courtesy Ryan Costello for Congress and Mike Parrish for Congress