Muslim Ban: Department Of Homeland Security Will Continue To Enforce Travel Ban, Issues Statement On Recent Litigation

One day after massive protests broke out over President Trump’s decision to bar the entry of refugees from select Muslim-majority countries, the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement clarifying their stand on the issue. According to Fox News, the statement issued by the department also touched upon the recent ruling by a federal judge from New York who granted an emergency stay on barring the deportation of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries. In the statement issued early Sunday morning, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that they would continue to enforce President Trump’s executive order while adding that the recent court order would not impede the overall implementation of the same.

“The Department of Homeland Security will continue to enforce all of President Trump’s Executive Orders in a manner that ensures the safety and security of the American people. President Trump’s Executive Orders remain in place — prohibited travel will remain prohibited, and the U.S. government retains its right to revoke visas at any time if required for national security or public safety.”

Department of Homeland Security says it will comply with judicial orders not to deport travelers who were detained https://t.co/5z69ArGc0m pic.twitter.com/cqZcg4Hqg7

— CNN (@CNN) January 29, 2017

The department was, however, careful to specify that only a small portion of international travelers would be affected by President Trump’s executive order.

“President Trump’s Executive Order affects a minor portion of international travelers, and is a first step towards reestablishing control over America’s borders and national security,” the statement read.

We have reproduced the rest of the statement in its entirety below.

“Approximately 80 million international travelers enter the United States every year. Yesterday, less than one percent of the more than 325,000 international air travelers who arrive every day were inconvenienced while enhanced security measures were implemented. These individuals went through enhanced security screenings and are being processed for entry to the United States, consistent with our immigration laws and judicial orders.

“The Department of Homeland Security will faithfully execute the immigration laws, and we will treat all of those we encounter humanely and with professionalism. No foreign national in a foreign land, without ties to the United States, has any unfettered right to demand entry into the United States or to demand immigration benefits in the United States.

“The Department of Homeland Security will comply with judicial orders; faithfully enforce our immigration laws, and implement President Trump’s Executive Orders to ensure that those entering the United States do not pose a threat to our country or the American people.”

Meanwhile, Stephen Miller, a senior adviser to the White House has reiterated that the Brooklyn Judge’s order does not impede or prevent the implementation of the executive order.

“Nothing in the Brooklyn judge’s order in any way impedes or prevents the implementation of the president’s executive order which remains in full, complete and total effect,” Miller said.

Miller was referring to U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly from New York who issued the emergency order after lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union filed a court petition on behalf of several refugees who were detained across multiple airports across the U.S., hours after the ban went into effect.

Following President Trump’s executive order, anyone arriving into the U.S. — even with a valid visa from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen — could be denied entry into the country. While President Trump earlier said that the ban would only apply to Muslims and that Christian refugees from these affected countries would be given priority, there have been several reports of Christian refugees being turned back from the airports.

After news of refugees being stuck inside airports spread, protesters across the country marched on to airports demanding the refugees be allowed entry into the U.S. Several of the stuck individuals included green card holders who stared at the possibility of remaining stuck outside the U.S. for over 90 days. Later, a DHS official claimed that no green-card holders from the seven countries from the list had been prevented from entering the U.S.

[Featured Image By Reed Saxon/AP Images]