House Bill Attempts to Make Trump’s Muslim Ban Illegal


When Donald Trump proposed a ban on all foreign Muslims from entering the United States, many in congress said the ban was clearly unconstitutional. Apparently, they’re not as certain as they claimed to be. Just in case, one Virginia congressman is attempting to put a bill on the books that targets Trump’s plan specifically.

A Virginia congressman announced a bill Wednesday that would make it illegal for the United States to block an immigrant based on his or her religion.

The very short measure — just one full sentence — is meant as a symbolic swing at a key element of Donald Trump’s bid for president, his repeated pledge to temporarily stop all Muslims from entering the United States.

“An alien may not be denied admission to the United States because of the alien’s religion or lack of religious beliefs,” the text proposed by Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) says. Beyer announced the bill at a news conference Wednesday along with five other Democratic members of Congress and dozens of representatives of atheists and Muslim, Christian and Jewish religious organizations.

Of the six members of Congress and five religious leaders who spoke in favor of the bill, only one mentioned Trump by name. But all clearly referred to him.

Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.) listed recent instances of bullying and one case of violence against Muslims in his Queens district. “When a candidate for president, a standard-bearer, calls for a ban on an entire religion from entering this country, this is what happens,” he said, calling Beyer’s bill “important legislation” and “a noble effort.”

It is not clear now that Trump would actually have the power as president to deny all Muslims entry to the country. Experts have said that while constitutional rights do not apply to non-U.S. citizens, international agreements would make such an immigration policy illegal.

With the legality of Trump’s plan at least somewhat in question, this bill seeks to more definitely prevent a president from taking such an action. Beyer’s office said 54 Democrats and one Republican, Richard Hanna of New York, have agreed to co-sponsor the bill.

But some lawyers questioned the effect of the bill, if it were to manage to pass a Republican-controlled House.

This bill, titled the “Freedom of Religion Act,” is yet more proof that the Democrat’s dismissiveness of Trump is all a show. Given how weak the presumptive Democrat nominee is, it looks as if some liberal politicians are already prepping for a Trump presidency. Of course, if Trump makes it to the White House, all of their preparations would likely get thrown out immediately.

Source: Washington Post

 



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