Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02) released the following statement in opposition to President Trump’s dangerous, hasty, and ill-informed Executive Order banning entry to the US from seven majority-Muslim countries. President Trump’s actions stand in opposition to our country’s most deeply held values and traditions, and raise further questions about the conflicted role of his business interests when making policy decisions.

“I am outraged by President Trump’s unconstitutional Executive Order, which uses hateful, divisive tactics to scapegoat and discriminate against refugees and citizens of certain Muslim nations,” Rep. Pocan stated. “President Trump is attempting to jam his divisive campaign trail rhetoric into policies which ignore the public, the Constitution and Congress. Across the United States, the people have spoken, marching in the streets and calling on their elected leaders to oppose these actions. It is time for President Trump to stand up for our nation’s shared values and represent all Americans.

“The outsized involvement of unqualified and extreme advisors in our national security policy, including White Nationalist champion Steve Bannon, raise serious questions about how President Trump is making these vital decisions, Bannon’s role in the drafting of this and other Executive Orders, in addition to the decision to give him a seat on the National Security Council while demoting the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of National Intelligence, set a dangerous precedent.

“I stand alongside the people of my district and will explore a number of means of fighting against this prejudice and division. I offer my office as a resource of support for residents and visitors to our district who experience problems. You are not alone.”

Rep. Pocan is an original cosponsor of legislation to prohibit federal funding from being used to implement this executive order and will continue to work with colleagues in Congress and constituents in Wisconsin to ensure the rights of all individuals coming to our country are respected.