Faith communities condemn administration’s travel ban that harms women of child-bearing age, urge administration to rescind immoral policy
Washington, DC – Another year, another round of discriminatory travel bans from the Trump administration. The latest is a ban on tourist visas for women whom a consular officer has “reason to believe” may be pregnant or could become pregnant. This new rule from the administration violates U.S. immigration law and shocks the conscience.
“The Bible says ‘Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling,’” said Katie Adams, Domestic Policy Advocate for the United Church of Christ and Co-Chair of the Interfaith Immigration Coalition (IIC). “Again and again, these discriminatory bans violate our core religious values. Women and girls have the right to equality, dignity, autonomy, bodily integrity, and respect for their private life without discrimination under U.S. and international law. Forcing women to prove, in public, that they are not traveling to the U.S. to give birth, or are not even pregnant, is simply a violation of their rights.”
The “pregnancy ban” was announced this week, but had already been tried out on Midori Nishida late last year. Planning to fly to Saipan, a U.S. commonwealth she has been to several times, Nishida was flagged by an undisclosed U.S. policy for having “a body size/shape resembling a pregnant lady.” Nishida was forced to take a pregnancy test in the airport. The test was negative, and Nishida was humiliated. Expect these incidents to multiply in U.S. consulates and airports around the globe.
The rule establishes a rebuttable presumption that a B nonimmigrant visa applicant who a consular officer has reason to believe will give birth during her stay in the United States is traveling for the primary purpose of obtaining U.S. citizenship for the child.
Press reports also indicate that President Trump intends to expand the Muslim ban to additional countries very soon.
“We know where these policies come from,” said Faith Williams, Associate Director of Government Relations & Advocacy at the National Council of Jewish Women and IIC Co-Chair. “President Trump campaigned on the issue of ‘banning Muslims’ and his adviser Stephen Miller has documented ties to white supremacists. For this reason, NCJW recently led an interfaith letter which read: ‘At one point in history, harboring a white supremacist in the White House could harm an administration. Today, President Trump appears unbothered by his close official’s ties to white supremacy. This cannot stand. As organizations of many faiths, who feel love and respect where Miller advances disdain and hate, we call for his resignation immediately.’”
“The pregnancy ban and the expanded Muslim ban are unChristian and unAmerican. These grotesque policies serve only to send a message to communities of color and our Muslim brothers and sisters that they are not welcome in this country. If Jesus’ mother Mary arrived today – pregnant – on America’s doorstep, would we shut her out too? As people of faith we cannot tolerate this. We are called to welcome the stranger and to honor the inherent dignity of each person, regardless of how they worship or where they come from,” said CWS President and CEO Rev. John L. McCullough.
The Interfaith Immigration Coalition is made up of 55 national, faith-based organizations brought together across many theological traditions with a common call to seek just policies that lift up the God-given dignity of every individual. In partnership, we work to protect the rights, dignity, and safety of all refugees and migrants.
Follow us on Twitter @interfaithimm
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