While some Republicans continue to remain silent on the issue, all four of Wisconsin’s Democratic members of Congress say they disagree with President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration ban.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Reps. Mark Pocan, Ron Kind and Gwen Moore have established themselves as opponents of Trump’s order, which bans admission to the U.S. to refugees and people from seven predominantly Muslim countries.
Baldwin said in a tweet Sunday that the ban will “make ISIS stronger, weaken counterterrorism and cost lives.”
“Welcoming refugees strengthens America's connection with freedom, the foundation of who we are as a people,” Baldwin said in another tweet. “It's wrong to turn our back on our American values, and the rest of the world.”
Pocan, who represents Madison, is a cosponsor of a bill that would prohibit federal funding from being used to carry out Trump’s executive order. He released a statement Monday claiming the ban is “unconstitutional.”
“[The order] uses hateful, divisive tactics to scapegoat and discriminate against refugees and citizens of certain Muslim nations,” Pocan said.
Kind and Moore both called on Trump to suspend his executive order, and Moore said the ban is a means of “satisfying campaign promises to the alt-right movement.”
“Such abominable efforts have nothing to do with national security,” Moore said in a statement. “These anti-American actions have no place in our culture and are indicative of the overwhelming influence of nationalism that continues to permeate this administration and its policies.”
Some Republican members of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation have voiced their support for the ban, while others have remained silent.
Reps. Paul Ryan, Jim Sensenbrenner and Sean Duffy all said they support Trump’s order.
“In terms of the pause, it’s important to emphasize that this isn’t about religious affiliation, it’s about national security and keeping Americans safe,” Sensenbrenner said in a statement.
Sen. Ron Johnson and Reps. Glenn Grothman and Mike Gallagher have yet to comment on the issue.
