Trump signs order banning refugees; Muslim Americans to file lawsuit

Officers and attorneys of the Council of American-Islamic Relations during their press conference announcing their lawsuit against President Trump's executive order.

WE SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED. President Donald Trump did exactly what he promised he would do during the campaign. Any hope that Trump would moderate his views once he was elected should be thrown out the window.

Trump signed an executive order Friday afternoon that bans all immigrants and visa holders from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the U.S. for 90 days, and opens the door to expand the order to include Asian countries that have Muslim populations, such as India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

It also bans all refugee admissions for 120 days — and bans Syrian refugees indefinitely.

"On Holocaust Memorial Day, Trump restricted refugees from Muslim-majority countries. Make no mistake — this is a Muslim ban," Sen. Kamala Harris, D-California, said in a statement.

Shortly after the new restrictions were announced, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the largest Muslim/American civil rights organization in the country, announced its intention to challenge the executive order in court.

"There is no evidence that refugees – the most thoroughly vetted of all people entering our nation – are a threat to national security," said CAIR National Litigation Director Lena F. Masri, Esq. "This is an order that is based on bigotry, not reality."

The lawsuit, to be filed in the U.S. District Court – Western District of Virginia, will challenge the constitutionality of the order because its apparent purpose and underlying motive is to ban people of the Islamic faith from Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.

"Our First Amendment is under attack. We, as attorneys, are foot soldiers of the American Constitution and took an oath to protect all from being targeted by the government because of their faith," said Attorney Shereef Akeel, Esq., who is also co-counsel on the lawsuit.

"There is no evidence that refugees – the most thoroughly vetted of all people entering our nation – are a threat to national security," said CAIR National Litigation Director Lena F. Masri, Esq. "This is an order that is based on bigotry, not reality."

Malala Yousafzai, the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize winner, said she was "heartbroken" in a statement condemning the Trump's latest Executive Order. Yousafzai, originally from Pakistan, said:

“I am heartbroken that today President Trump is closing the door on children, mothers and fathers fleeing violence and war. I am heartbroken that America is turning its back on a proud history of welcoming refugees and immigrants — the people who helped build your country, ready to work hard in exchange for a fair chance at a new life.

"I am heartbroken that Syrian refugee children, who have suffered through six years of war by no fault of their own, are singled-out for discrimination.

"I am heartbroken for girls like my friend Zaynab, who fled wars in three countries — Somalia, Yemen and Egypt — before she was even 17. Two years ago she received a visa to come to the United States. She learned English, graduated high school and is now in college studying to be a human rights lawyer.

"Zaynab was separated from her little sister when she fled unrest in Egypt. Today her hope of being reunited with her precious sister dims."

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"In this time of uncertainty and unrest around the world, I ask President Trump not to turn his back on the world’s most defenseless children and families.”