WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), joined a group of bipartisan colleagues in introducing the NO BAN Act to prevent future Muslim bans and safeguard rights for those with legal status in the United States. The bill was originally introduced in 2017 as a direct response to President Donald Trump’s Muslim Ban, which separated families at airports across the country as people from seven Muslim-majority countries were detained for hours without food or water before being deported. Some individuals were pressured to sign papers giving up their legal status. In many cases, these individuals had no opportunity to see an attorney or call anyone for legal guidance.
The National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants (NO BAN) Act, prevents future Muslim bans by strengthening the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, and restores the separation of powers by ensuring that any future travel bans are narrowly tailored and follow appropriate consultation with Congress.
Throughout the Trump administration, Cantwell repeatedly spoke out against efforts to target Muslim and minority communities. In 2017, Cantwell denounced President Trump’s Executive Order establishing a ban on refugees and nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries and cosponsored legislation to block President Trump’s updated travel ban.
The NO BAN Act has received endorsements from over 400 immigrants’ rights organizations, faith-based organizations, and civil rights organizations, including Muslim Advocates, National Immigration Law Center, Immigration Hub, Interfaith Immigration Coalition, Shoulder to Shoulder, Brennan Center for Justice, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Franciscan Action Network, Church World Service, Human Rights Campaign, American Civil Liberties Union, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Association, The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, National Iranian American Council Action, Jewish and Muslims and Allies Acting Together, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, HIAS, National Council of Jewish Women, Bend the Arc, International Refugee Assistance Project, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Engage Action, Airbnb, Center for American Progress, and Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees.
In addition to Senator Cantwell (D-WA), the NO BAN Act is cosponsored by Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Chris Coons, (D-DE), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Bob Casey (D-PA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM.), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tom Carper (D-DE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Angus King (I-ME), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Chris Murphy (D-CT).
The full text of the bill is available HERE.