Letter: Discrimination on religion violates American values and Constitution

President Trump’s recent executive order blocked entry of refugees from seven primarily Muslim countries to the United States.

These refugees are innocent people, many fleeing from terrorist organizations. Some served the United States armed forces overseas as interpreters. They need safe haven.

Discrimination based on religious identity violates American values and the Constitution. Furthermore, this order makes us all less safe, by feeding into the narrative that the United States is waging a war on Islam, which is the most effective recruiting tool of terrorists. Prior to Trump’s nomination, many leading Republicans and security experts, including Tri-Cities native Defense Secretary James Mattis, condemned such proposed policies for precisely these reasons.

Alarmingly, most of these leading voices have remained silent. Equally alarming, this policy appears to have been implemented without consulting, and with almost no notice to, our homeland security, immigration, or military officials.

Rep. Dan Newhouse made a statement critical of aspects of this executive order. He is to be commended for this. However, more action is needed.

I urge Rep. Newhouse to speak clearly on the dangers of this order, and take any actions available to him to combat religious tests on immigration.

This story was originally published February 14, 2017 at 4:15 AM with the headline "Letter: Discrimination on religion violates American values and Constitution."