Bill blocking Muslim bans similar to Trump's reintroduced by Padilla, Coons
People protest the Muslim travel ban in front of the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC on June 26, 2018 (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - A bill that would prevent future Muslim bans similar to ones previously enacted by former President Donald Trump was reintroduced by lawmakers including U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).
The National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants (NO BAN) Act would do the following:
- Provide that the Immigration and Nationality Act nondiscrimination provisions apply to religion, as well as to the issuance of non-immigrant visas and benefits;
- Require that any travel restriction imposed under Immigration and Nationality Act be based on specific and credible facts, and in a way narrowly tailored to address a compelling government interest; and
- Establish procedural requirements, including notice to Congress within 48 hours, and periodic reporting.
The NO BAN Act was originally introduced by Senator Coons and Congresswoman Chu in 2019. The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives in both 2020 and 2021. In 2021, the Biden-Harris administration issued a statement in support of the legislation, noting that the prior "bans were a stain on our national conscience and are inconsistent with our long history of welcoming people of all faiths."
"Former President Trump’s Muslim ban was cruel and counterproductive," said Senator Coons. "It tore apart families; led to the detention of people at airports for hours with limited access to food, water, or legal representation; and violated the very fabric of who we are as a country. We must ensure that this senseless policy is never repeated and that no elected official acts on fear and prejudice to discriminate based on religion or nationality."
You can read the full text of the bill by tapping or clicking here.