President Donald Trump’s executive order to ban people entering the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries – Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen – for 90 days, has sparked controversy throughout the United States and the world. Many are calling the ban, a Muslim ban, but Trump continues to say the media is falsely reporting what his order says and does.
Over the weekend, various reports of protests at airports, families being broken apart and many, many scared people are calling out Trump’s ban as an attack on humanitarian rights, and the basic freedoms that America provides.
U.S. Rep Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) held a town hall Sunday night. The day before, Sensenbrenner said people with green cards from the countries that Trump is banning, should not be allowed into the United States, but later, he backtracked on his comments, reading from a statement at the town hall, saying, “I do not believe it is right to ban green card holders from entering the United States absent evidence of a threat, regardless of where they are from.”
An overflow crowd of nearly 250 people began to fill Sensenbrenners town hall where he defended Trump’s ban. Trump, who is widely supported by House Speaker Paul Ryan, and both whom Sensenbrenner supports has spewed the Republican talking points for the ban, saying, “this is temporary,” “this will make America safer,” and he even went as far as calling people “aliens.”
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports
“This is a temporary ban so the government can ensure we have sufficient screening policies in place. While the majority of people seeking to enter the United States are peaceful, it only takes one individual to wreak havoc,” Sensenbrenner said. “I will never support a blanket ban on any religious group, but we have to do everything we can, consistent with our values as Americans, to protect the freedom and security of the American people.”
Among those trying to get into Sunday’s session was Melissa Garves, who lives in Sensenbrenner’s district and said she came for many reasons but the top two were immigration and Trump’s choice for education secretary, Betsy DeVos.
“I am just outraged that this is happening in our country, ” said Garves, who was not allowed to bring in a sign that said, “Immigrants are welcome here. We will not teach our children to hate.”
When she couldn’t get in to the meeting, police said she was allowed to hold the sign outside the Menomonee Falls Village Hall, so Garves stood outside, stamping her feet in the cold and smiling as she held up the sign.
Read more on this ongoing controversy at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
