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Fox News
3 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
Critics have meltdown and accuse Trump of imposing renewed 'Muslim ban' through 'disgusting' travel order
Democrat lawmakers and social media critics are accusing President Donald Trump of rolling out a "bigoted" travel ban they say is riddled with "Islamophobia." "This discriminatory policy, which limits legal immigration, not only flies in the face of what our country is supposed to stand for, it will be harmful to our economy and communities that rely on the contributions of people who come to America from this wide range of countries," Democratic Washington state Rep. Pramila Jayapal said in a Wednesday statement posted to her social media accounts. "Banning a whole group of people because you disagree with the structure or function of their government not only lays blame in the wrong place, it creates a dangerous precedent." Trump signed a proclamation Wednesday restricting travel to the U.S. from a total of 19 countries. Twelve countries, such as Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Libya and Yemen, were deemed "very high risk" due to terrorist activity, weak or hostile governments, and high visa overstay rates. While seven other countries, such as Venezuela, Cuba and Laos, faced partial restrictions under the proclamation. "The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, as well as those who come here as temporary visitors and overstay their visas," Trump said in video posted Wednesday to social media. "We don't want them." "In the 21st century, we've seen one terror attack after another carried out by foreign visa overstayers from dangerous places all over the world," he added. "Thanks to Biden's open-door policies, today there are millions and millions of these illegals who should not be in our country." Officials charged terrorist attack suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman Monday with a hate crime, attempted first-degree murder, crimes against at-risk adults/elderly and other charges after he allegedly threw Molotov cocktails at a pro-Israel group, "Run for Their Lives," in Boulder, Colorado, Sunday. The Egyptian national was living in the United States illegally after entering on a work visa two years ago that has since expired, according to federal officials. Trump's travel restriction announcement sparked widespread backlash among Democratic lawmakers and critics on social media, who slammed Trump for allegedly promoting Islamophobia. "Just now, Trump has re-issued his disgusting, bigoted, and Islamophobic travel ban," Democratic California Rep. Judy Chu posted to X. "This goes against our core American values while doing nothing to make us safer. We can do better, we must do better." "The immigration dictatorship just announced a ban on immigration for 12 nationalities with 7 more facing draconian discrimination as well. Horrible policies with no justification," libertarian think tank Cato Institute Director of Immigration Studies David Bier posted to X Wednesday. "We've seen this horror show before," Democratic Arizona Rep. Yassamin Ansari posted Wednesday. "It's not about security. The travel ban is cruel, racist, and un-American." The U.S.' largest Muslim civil rights group, the Council on American Islamic Relations, also released a statement denouncing the travel bans. "Automatically banning students, workers, tourists, and other citizens of these targeted nations from coming to the United States will not make our nation safer," Nihad Awad, the executive director of CAIR, said in a Wednesday statement. "Neither will imposing vague ideological screening tests that the government can easily abuse to ban immigrants based on their religious identity and political activism." "Make no mistake: Trump's latest travel ban will NOT make America safer," Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey posted to X. "We cannot continue to allow the Trump administration to write bigotry and hatred into U.S. immigration policy." "From his first Muslim Ban, Trump's travel bans have always betrayed of the ideals and values that inspired America's Founders," Democratic Virginia Rep. Don Beyer posted to X. "Trump's use of prejudice and bigotry to bar people from entering the U.S. does not make us safer, it just divides us and weakens our global leadership." The CEO of Oxfam America, which is an international group of nongovernmental organizations that work to end hunger and poverty, also issued a blistering response to Trump's announcement. "By once again targeting individuals from Muslim-majority countries, countries with predominantly Black and brown populations, and countries in the midst of conflict and political instability, this executive order deepens inequality and perpetuates harmful stereotypes, racist tropes, and religious intolerance," Oxfam America CEO Abby Maxman said in a statement. "This policy is not about national security — it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States." The White House defended that the new proclamation is "commonsense" and targeted at countries that "lack proper vetting, exhibit high visa overstay rates, or fail to share identity and threat information,' Fox Digital reported Wednesday. "President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm," White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital. Trump came under fire from liberals and activist groups during his first administration when he signed an executive order banning travel and implementing "extreme vetting" for countries such as Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Libya in January 2017. Critics of the executive order derided it as Trump's "Muslim ban." "To be clear, this is not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely reporting. This is not about religion — this is about terror and keeping our country safe," he said in a statement in 2017. "There are over 40 different countries worldwide that are majority Muslim that are not affected by this order." Trump added at the time.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘I'll continue to revoke student visas': Marco Rubio snaps at Rep Jayapal in explosive hearing
A fiery exchange erupted during a U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing when Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal sharply questioned Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the revocation of a Turkish student's visa. Jayapal claimed that the student, Rumeysa Ozturk, had her visa canceled simply for co-authoring an op-ed critical of Israel's policies. Rubio defended the move, asserting there is no constitutional right to a student visa and that he would continue revoking visas in such cases. Show more Show less
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Biden interview audio reveals who brought up Beau's death — and it wasn't Hur
Former President Joe Biden lashed out against special counsel Robert Hur over a report in which he described the longtime lawmaker as a "sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory." The part of Hur's report that most angered Biden was the suggestion that the then-president could not remember when his son, Beau, died. However, new audio obtained by Axios sheds light on Biden's lapses in memory. In February 2024, Biden and several high-profile Democrats — as well as media personalities — attacked Hur. During a press conference on Hur's report, Biden said, "There's some attention paid to some language in the report about my recollection of events. There's even a reference that I don't remember when my son died. How in the hell dare he raise that?" Conservatives React To Leaked Biden Audio On Social Media: 'This Is Painful' Then-Vice President Kamala Harris slammed Hur in February 2024, saying his report was "gratuitous, inaccurate and inappropriate." She also suggested that it was "clearly politically motivated." Harris recalled Biden's alleged sharpness at the time, noting that Hur's interview took place on Oct. 8, 2023 — just one day after Hamas' attack on Israel. Harris said she was "in almost every meeting" with Biden and that he was "in front of and on top of it all." Reps. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., and Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., grilled Hur when he testified on Capitol Hill in March 2024. Both lawmakers attempted to get Hur to say that his report "exonerated" Biden — which he did not do. Then–Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., also criticized the special counsel, suggesting that Hur knew his description of Biden would "ignite a political firestorm," something Hur denied. Read On The Fox News App Jonathan Turley: Biden Not The Only Loser Revealed By Shocking Hur Audio Former Obama advisor David Axelrod also criticized the report, calling it a "shiv the special counsel stuck into the Biden reelection campaign," according to CNN. On Friday, Axios published a bombshell report that included audio recordings from Biden's interview with Hur, something the previous administration refused to release. The audio includes long pauses in which Biden struggled to recall the dates of several major events, including when President Donald Trump was elected to office for his first term, his son's death or his exit from office as vice president. Since his report was released, Hur has seen two key moments of vindication aside from Friday's report. The first came when the transcript of his interview was released in March 2024. At the time, the White House refused to release the audio, citing fears of AI deepfakes. Hur appeared to receive further vindication when Biden had his disastrous debate against then-candidate Trump in June 2024. Less than a month after the debate, Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race and endorsed Harris. Original article source: Biden interview audio reveals who brought up Beau's death — and it wasn't Hur
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Seattle's iconic MOPOP could be recognized as national museum under new bill
This story was originally published on U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Dan Newhouse (WA-04) have introduced bipartisan legislation that would recognize the Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP) in Seattle as the National Museum of Pop Culture. Housing more than 85,000 artifacts, the museum attracts over 750,000 visitors each year with innovative exhibits that explore the impact of pop culture on American identity and society, according to a news release from Jayapal Thursday. 'The Museum of Pop Culture draws hundreds of thousands of visitors every year from enthusiasts across the country and around the globe,' Newhouse stated via the news release. 'Now in its 25th year of operation, it's time to give MOPOP the national recognition it deserves.' Since its founding in 2000, MOPOP has not only worked to preserve cultural history but also as an educational space fostering creativity. 'MOPOP has been a cornerstone in celebrating the diverse culture and history of the arts regionally and globally,' Jayapal stated via the news release. 'MOPOP and its incredible team undoubtedly deserve this recognition and title, allowing them to continue educating both local visitors and tourists about the rich history of pop culture in the United States.' Michele Y. Smith, CEO of the Museum of Pop Culture, is grateful to have the museum's important work recognized. "We're honored to take the next step toward national designation and grateful to Congresswoman Jayapal for her support,' Smith stated via the news release. 'This legislation affirms the vital role pop culture plays in shaping our collective memory and reflects MOPOP's ongoing commitment to preserving the stories, artifacts, and creativity that define generations.' The bill is also sponsored by Rep. Michael Baumgartner, Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Emily Randall, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Marilyn Strickland.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats say attacks on migrants preview risks to civil rights for citizens
Critics say President Trump's aggressive deportations and tightening of immigration law are a precursor to a wider attack on civil rights that could go beyond the targeting of migrants to U.S. citizens. Trump in recent weeks has used the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to send Venezuelan migrants to a prison in El Salvador, denying them a chance to challenge assertions they have gang ties. The administration also has stripped student visas from those involved in protests against Israel's actions in Gaza — something attorneys for the students say is designed to quash their First Amendment rights. Democratic lawmakers argue the actions represent a chipping away of fundamental rights and a stepping stone toward authoritarianism. 'I think it is really important that we understand what's going on — the most vulnerable — they target a population that they think that maybe they can win the sympathy of the American people, or of any people, in targeting that particular population,' Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said during a hearing last week to review a reconciliation package to back Trump's immigration priorities. 'And the idea here is to show that if you can do it to that group of people — and nobody says anything — then you can go further and do it to anybody else,' she said. 'And I think it is very important to recognize that in this moment, they are trying to say that due process does not apply to you if you're an immigrant,' she added before going on to cite Fifth Amendment protections for any action depriving any person of their liberty. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, called it part of the 'authoritarian playbook.' 'Every day, the administration uses immigration enforcement as a template to violate and erode our rights and liberties. They round up people in the street and disappear them to the torture prison of a foreign dictator without one iota of due process, sweeping up completely innocent people who have no criminal record and no criminal charges. They strip college and graduate students at American universities of their student visas for writing op-eds the administration disagrees with,' he said during the same hearing. 'If Donald Trump can sweep noncitizens off the street and fly them to a torturer's prison in El Salvador with no due process, he can do it to citizens too, because if there is no due process, no fair hearing, you have no opportunity to object.' Republicans have brushed off those concerns, accusing Democrats of caring more about migrants than citizens. 'Over 77 million Americans delivered a resounding Election Day mandate to enforce our immigration laws and mass deport criminal illegal aliens,' White House spokesperson Kush Desai told The Hill in a statement. 'The Trump administration's whole-of-government approach to deliver on that mandate is democracy in action. If Democrats want to die on the hill of fighting for terrorist illegal aliens and foreigners over American citizens, we are happy to dig that grave for them.' Trump has mused multiple times about sending U.S. citizens to prison in El Salvador — though he has said little about what that process would look like. In February, Trump said 'it would be a lot less expensive and it would be a great deterrent.' 'I'm just saying if we had a legal right to do it, I would do it in a heartbeat,' Trump said. 'I don't know if we do or not, we're looking at that right now.' In April Trump said he would be willing to do so for 'violent criminals.' 'If it's a homegrown criminal, I have no problem,' Trump said. 'Now, we're studying the laws right now. [Attorney General Pam Bondi] is studying. If we can do that, that's good. And I'm talking about violent people. I'm talking about really bad people. Really bad people. Every bit as bad as the ones coming in.' Deportations have also already swept up U.S. citizen children removed with their parents. Two U.S.-citizen children were deported alongside their mother to Honduras, including a 4-year-old son with Stage 4 cancer who was removed without his medication. Attorneys for another woman deported with her 2-year-old citizen child said she was removed with little time to figure out what to do with her child. Immigrant advocates have also sounded the alarm over what they say could be a slippery slope to restricting the rights of U.S. citizens. 'We're seeing the Trump administration really pursuing an attack on core democratic values and using immigration and immigrants as the battleground for that attack. We're seeing the president attack the right to free speech, the right to a fair day in court, these core American ideals,' Nayna Gupta, policy director with the American Immigration Council, previously told The Hill. 'They are intentionally attacking those ideas by starting with the immigration system, by weaponizing immigration laws, by resurrecting old wartime authorities, by targeting noncitizens as the first line of attack on these rights. And so while this is very clearly a threat to immigrant communities and noncitizens in our country, it really is a threat to these larger principles and all Americans.' John Carey, a professor of government at Dartmouth University and the co-founder of Bright Line Watch, which monitors threats to American democracy, said a fixation on immigrants or other marginalized groups is 'a pretty staple strategy' of countries backsliding from democracy. But he also pointed to Trump's invocation of emergency authorities to undertake a number of actions at the border, as well as the rarely used Alien Enemies Act, a wartime power invoked just three times prior in U.S. history, all during times of combat. 'The appeals to emergency authority are really troubling. … But the claim of an emergency and the claim of a right to exercise extraordinary authorities under that emergency is something that's really familiar throughout Latin America. It's something that has been much more limited, much more rare in the United States,' Carey said, adding that Trump was redefining the term 'invasion' to use the Alien Enemies Act to go after purported gang members. 'That is really worrisome to me.' Trump has argued swift deportations are justified and has attacked the judiciary in the wake of multiple decisions from district courts and the Supreme Court that have halted deportation flights destined for El Salvador. 'The border now is not the emergency. … The big emergency right now is that we have thousands of people that we want to take out, and we have some judges that want everybody to go to court,' Trump said over the weekend in an interview with NBC's Kristen Welker. Welker noted that the Fifth Amendment provides a right to due process regardless of their immigration status. 'I don't know. It seems — it might say that, but if you're talking about that, then we'd have to have a million or 2 million or 3 million trials. We have thousands of people that are some murderers and some drug dealers and some of the worst people on Earth,' Trump said. 'And I was elected to get them the hell out of here, and the courts are holding me from doing it.' On the First Amendment front, the administration has also defended stripping student visas and work permissions from students and professors who have participated in protests about Israeli actions in Gaza. 'If you are in this country on a student visa and are a participant in those movements, we have a right to deny your visa. I think it would make sense to deny your visa. We're going to err on the side of caution. We are not going to be importing activists into the United States. They're here to study. They're here to go to class. They're not here to lead activist movements that are disruptive and undermine the — our universities. I think it's lunacy to continue to allow that,' Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in March. A judge last week ordered the release of Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia University student who participated in protests and was arrested as the green card holder reported to an immigration office for his naturalization interview. The decision does not end the Trump administration's efforts to deport him, but frees him from detention while the legal battle continues. 'I am saying it clear and loud. To President Trump and his Cabinet: I am not afraid of you,' Mahdawi said after leaving the courthouse. But Carey said that's not true elsewhere in academia where in a recent survey, more than half of faculty reported some form of self-censorship. 'About two-thirds of them reported self-censoring. But those rates were higher among both noncitizens and among naturalized citizens than they are among U.S.-born citizens,' he said, noting that students and faculty who have recently been detained or deported have expressed opinions that are 'antithetical to the current administration.' 'And the administration seems to be making no bones about the fact that it's that expression of political opinions that is the reason for their detention or deportation.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
