As the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments on the suspension of President Trump’s Muslim ban executive order, FCNL lobbyist Yasmine Taeb addressed a crowd in Richmond, VA, gathered in solidarity with Muslims, refugees, and immigrants.
Speaking as an advocate for refugees, as a person of faith, and as someone who came to the US from one of the countries on the travel ban list, FCNL Lobbyist for Human Rights and Civil Liberties Yasmine Taeb unequivocally condemned the March 6th executive order barring refugees and people from six Muslim-majority countries.
“This Muslim and refugee ban is reprehensible and immoral,” Taeb said. “It grossly violates our core beliefs and runs counter to American values.”
“We have a strong, treasured tradition of welcoming those fleeing violence and persecution,” Taeb said. As the world grapples with “the worst refugee crisis in history,” she said, “the United States must live up to its promise of welcome.”
Describing an amicus brief that FCNL filed alongside almost fifty other faith-based organizations, Taeb declared that “people of faith are called to speak out on this issue. We cannot and will not stand for policies that promote fear and ostracism of our Muslim brothers and sisters. The groups signed onto this amicus brief may come from different faith backgrounds, but we can all agree on the Golden Rule. We can all agree that we must not abandon people in their time of crisis.”
Speaking to the direct impact that the executive order would have on her and her family if implemented, Taeb noted that “my own family would be banned from visiting me.”
“We all know that this executive order is discriminatory, unconstitutional, and flat-out unacceptable,” Taeb said, “and we will continue to fight it every single day—because we know, deep in our hearts, that America is better than this.”
