The Southern Coalition for Social Justice joins the individuals and organizations across the country and world condemning President Trump’s recent Executive Order, which imposes severe restrictions on entry into the United States from seven Muslim-majority nations, suspends all refugee admissions for 120 days, and bans refugees fleeing violence in Syria until further notice.
We believe this kind of discriminatory action hurts all of us. The order is overly broad, antithetical to longstanding American values of religious tolerance and inclusion, and grounded in bigotry and unfounded fears. It fuels the fire of hateful acts that have been committed against people of color and people of all faiths since the election. Since its issuance on Friday, the executive order has caused profound fear and pain in immigrant and refugee communities across the country and world, as well as chaos and indignities in our airports. It is a self-inflicted wound to America’s standing and respect across the world.
As social justice lawyers, we represent ordinary people of color who have to abide by a patchwork quilt of discriminatory laws that often lead to their mass criminalization and disenfranchisement. We also value our constitutional system of checks and balances and are dismayed by the administration’s blatant disregard for federal court orders. In the United States of America, no one is above the law.
Immigrants and refugees from all countries and of all religions are valuable parts of the fabric of American society. The Southern Coalition for Social Justice pledges to stand with our refugee and Muslim brothers and sisters throughout the country and the world, today and moving forward. We will continue to demand that America not turn its back on innocent and vulnerable people based on their country of origin or their religious faith.
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