Washington, DC – President Trump again invoked national security to declare new travel bans and restrictions impacting 19 nations which will disrupt the lives of tens of thousands of close family members of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents as well as countless non-immigrant visa applicants. A failed policy of the first Trump administration, prejudicial travel bans led to historically significant litigation and an outpouring of moral opposition from faith communities. While in office, President Biden issued an executive order targeted towards, “ending discriminatory bans on entry to the United States.”
Amid a nationwide deportation campaign, President Trump has continued to espouse anti-migrant and inflammatory language. Polling by the National Immigration Forum and the Bullfinch Group shows that Americans strongly prefer political candidates who focus on solutions for our immigration system rather than employ negative rhetoric about immigrants. People of faith believe all human beings are created in the image of God. This core belief underpins opposition to sweeping bans that categorize immigrants and travelers to the U.S. as potential threats to the American public.
Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Global Refuge, said: “While national security is an important priority, indiscriminate restrictions against entire nationalities should not supersede the merits of an individual visa application. We are deeply concerned that this ban could undermine our humanitarian leadership, delay or derail family reunifications, and significantly impact our economy and labor force. With refugee admissions currently suspended, these types of populations depend on alternative options they may be eligible for, such as family reunification visas. Shutting down their only remaining pathway to safety is needlessly cruel and runs contrary to the values so many people of faith hold dear.”
“The travel ban imposed by President Trump during his first term in office was a horrendous mistake. This one is no better,” says Katherine Rehberg, Chief Operating Officer at Church World Service. “By closing the door to people seeking to enter this country through legal pathways, the administration is yet again turning its back on our nation’s tradition of welcome, abandoning our commitment to families fleeing conflict and persecution, and denying us the overwhelming benefits that these populations bring to our country. We lose culture, innovation, and economic vitality. We lose the courage, creativity and sense of community that newcomers bring with them. And we lose our own understanding of America’s place in the world as the brightest beacon for those seeking safety and opportunity. Families will be torn apart by this travel ban. Students, coworkers, and loved ones who pinned their hopes on America’s promise will be shut out—not because of who they are, but where they’re from.”
“President Trump’s travel bans and restrictions are part of his cruel tactics, intended to stoke fear and isolate us. With this action, President Trump is deliberately separating families and mercilessly mounting barriers to individuals and families fleeing violence and persecution,” said Joan F. Neal, Interim Executive Director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice. “Our communities reject his scapegoating and fear mongering. We as Catholics are called to recognize the image of God in every person. This means advocating for more pathways to safe and regular migration, not further exclusions as represented in the refugee ban and now travel bans. Pope Francis called us to ‘build bridges, not walls,’ and that is what we will do.”
Jonah Dov Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism said, “The proposed blanket travel ban is unethical, counterproductive, and antithetical to our Jewish and American values. The recent attack in Boulder highlights the very real danger of antisemitism, which policymakers must take seriously – however, we reject the Trump administration’s attempts to weaponize antisemitism as a means to alienate and scapegoat our Muslim siblings. This travel ban is also serving as a distraction from the current budget reconciliation process, which is an immoral transfer of wealth, and includes egregious cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and social welfare services that millions of Americans rely on in exchange for funding mass deportation efforts.”
“Franciscan Action Network (FAN) decries the Administration’s roll out of a new extremely restrictive Travel Ban,” said Sister Marie Lucey, Associate Director. “We have been here before during the first Trump Administration when there was a moral outcry against the ban. This new ban prohibits travel to the citizens of 12 countries, primarily in Africa and the Middle East, and limits travel from an additional 7 countries. Although there are certain exemptions, the ban denies travel to thousands of people. As Franciscan Christians, we follow the gospel of Jesus Christ which is one of inclusion, not exclusion. As U.S. citizens, we claim that inclusion makes this country stronger and safer. In many of our churches we know families and individuals from countries on the proposed list or who have relatives in these banned countries. Commonalities among impacted countries are that many are Muslim majority and almost all are non-white. FAN joins faith organizations and others who call for the Trump administration to reconsider this reckless ban and to work with members of Congress to create an efficient, humanitarian, workable immigration system that is not based on exclusion.”
“Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) seeks to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, whose ministry connected people across lines of difference, including language and culture,” said Ann Graber-Hershberger, Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee U.S. “With longstanding partnerships in more than 40 countries, MCC staff and partners walk alongside communities to build peace and sustainable livelihoods. This new travel ban, discriminating solely on place of birth, will unnecessarily limit travel to the U.S. and hinder important opportunities for collaboration and mutual learning.”
“The Trump administration is once again undermining core principles of religious freedom and respect for the dignity of all people. This reinstated and expanded travel ban particularly discriminates against our Muslim siblings and we urge Congress to stand up and speak out against it,” said FCNL General Secretary Bridget Moix. “We are called to love our neighbors, no exceptions.”
“Trump’s new travel ban barring people from countries in Africa, the Middle East, and South America from entering the U.S. is racist, Islamophobic, and designed to stoke fear and hatred,” said Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights. “Trump is trying to vilify people just because of where they come from. We’ve seen autocrats use this trick before, and we’re not falling for it. He is claiming the ban is a response to the attack in Boulder, using Jews’ real fears of antisemitism as an excuse for his anti-democratic, discriminatory policy. But Jews know this travel ban will not make us safer, and it will cause real harm to many.”
“Under the first Trump administration multiple iterations of travel bans were issued in 2017 targeting Arab and Muslim countries. In its second term, the administration continues to repeatedly attack refugees, asylum seekers, and our non-Christian siblings in faith causing prolonging family separation, undermining our moral and legal obligations to the most vulnerable, and discriminating against people based on their faith or nationality,” said Rev. Jimmie R. Hawkins, Director of Advocacy, Presbyterian Church (USA). “Presbyterians have a long history of globally working alongside, supporting, and standing in solidarity with our siblings of diverse cultures, ethnic backgrounds, and faith context. We stand firm in the continuation of this commitment and denounce any efforts from the current administration to restrict travel and access to the United States based on faith tradition or nationality.”
“Mr. President, I speak to you and your advisors–you like big and bold action, I have no doubt. But this travel ban is inconsistent with the tenets of these United States. What’s more, you tried this approach in your first term and it was not successful,” said Fran Eskin-Royer, Executive Director, National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. “Americans and foreign leaders would be impressed if you took a different approach–one that demonstrates the United States’ capacity, strength and resilience. Let’s make clear what we know: Americans are not afraid of people from other countries, and that includes refugees from majority Muslim nations. We are a religiously diverse and welcoming country, and we are stronger and better for it. Let’s stay true to that course.”
Walter Ruby, President, JAMAAT – Jews and Muslims and Allies Acting Together stated: “We learned from the first Trump Administration’s Muslim Bans 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 that blanket nationality-based bans, aimed largely at majority-Muslim countries, are based more on prejudice than on any bona fide national security threat. Sweeping national origin-based bans on travel are an extraordinarily overbroad mechanism of exclusion, never previously used in the ways employed by the first Trump Administration or warranted for any legitimate purpose, which have a devastating humanitarian impact on individuals and families, as well as on business needs and U.S. relations with the rest of the world. Perhaps worst of all, they are beneath the dignity of this nation and a betrayal of the values of letting in and encouraging people to come based on their individual merits and desire to succeed that have made this country great.”
“Unitarian Universalists act from religious values of interdependence, justice, and equity,” said Pablo DeJesús, Executive Director, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice. “We strive to welcome the stranger in compassion and love. We seek to share the dignity we demand as fellow human beings. Discriminating against people based on their nation of origin, as this travel ban would, violates our faith’s teachings. We disagree with the administration’s approach to immigration and did so under the previous round of travel bans. It was a moral failure then, and our faith demands that we continue to oppose this policy and governance approach. The wellspring of our nation’s greatness has been an openness to new ideas, customs, traditions, innovations, and the opportunities they bring. New Americans, both immigrants from overseas and migrants from North and South of our borders, have always been the taproot of that success. This new ban will foolishly limit travel to the U.S. and hinder our continued social and economic progress.”
Rev. Teresita Valeriano, Program Director, Asian and Pacific Islander Ministries, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America said: “At dark moments in our country’s history, our governing leaders have unfortunately turned against immigrants. But by embracing the cornerstone of our faith, Imago Dei, we recognize that everyone is created in God’s image and hold steadfast to our shared humanity. Discriminatory travel bans and restrictions will create hardship, including for Lutheran members of our church. Countless people will not be able to reunite with their families, become religious leaders and serve new ministries, or come as students to advance their academic pursuits. I urgently ask President Trump to reverse these travel bans and prioritize family reunification.”
Troy Collazo, Policy Advisor, The Episcopal Church said: “The proposed expansion of the travel ban is deeply concerning, as it penalizes individuals seeking refuge in our country and risks exacerbating diplomatic tensions with affected nations. While intended to enhance national security, such measures may not achieve their stated goals and instead create unintended consequences, including the separation of families and the denial of safety to those fleeing crises. The historical precedent set by previous bans demonstrated significant harm to refugee resettlement and global perceptions of the United States. Reviving and broadening this policy threatens to further erode trust in our nation’s values and commitments. We urge policymakers to reconsider these actions and to pursue immigration policies that prioritize human dignity, fairness, and constructive international engagement.”
“Banning people from the U.S. based on their country of origin is racist and immoral and must be categorically opposed,” said Amy Gottlieb, U.S. Migration Director for the American Friends Service Committee. “When previous versions of the ban were introduced during the first Trump administration, hundreds of thousands protested at airports and in cities and towns across the U.S. We urge everyone to act with similar urgency now. As a Quaker organization, we welcome everyone and we honor the Light in each one of us. We call on people of conscience to join us in speaking out against these discriminatory policies and demanding dignity and fair treatment for all.”
Talya Steinberg, Associate Director of Government Relations and Advocacy, National Council of Jewish Women, said: “Jewish tradition is clear: we are obligated to welcome the stranger, an imperative that appears no less than 36 times in the Torah. This tradition and our faith compel us to protect the vulnerable, and speak out against policies that sow fear and hatred – the very same forces our own community has endured. As Jews, we know too well the devastating consequences of barring entry based on faith or national origin. This travel ban will not make Americans safer. Rather, it would tear families and communities apart and undermine the values meant to make our country a haven for all who see safety and security here.”
Elket Rodriguez, Global Migration Advocate for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship said: “As a Christian, I affirm that every person—regardless of nationality—is made in the image of God and deserves to be treated with dignity. As a Baptist committed to justice and the security of our communities, I know we can protect our country without abandoning our values. Broad restrictions based solely on someone’s country of origin are not only discriminatory, but they also replace discernment with prejudice, ignoring the merits of each individual case, and deprive our country of the opportunity to benefit from the contributions, gifts, and talents of those we refuse to see.”
The Proclamation fully restricts and limits the entry of nationals from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The Proclamation also partially restricts and limits the entry of nationals from 7 countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
The Interfaith Immigration Coalition is made up of over 56 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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