Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) announced Sunday that she would introduce two pieces of legislation to combat President Donald Trump’s executive order temporarily suspending the United States’ refugee program and restricting immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries.
The first of Feinstein’s bills would rescind Trump’s executive order. The second would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act, requiring 30 days’ notice and rationale to Congress before barring classes of people from entering the country.
“It’s one thing to screen people before they come to this country,” a statement on her website announcing the legislation reads. “We already do that. It’s quite another to say that individuals who are from a particular country, belong to a particular faith or are refugees fleeing conflict are banned from the United States. Under this order, only Syrian Christians could be considered for the refugee program.
While several Republican senators have condemned Trump’s sweeping order, neither piece of legislation has much of a chance of reaching the President’s desk.
Several other Democrats, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sens. Kirsten Gellibrand (D-NY) and Chris Murphy (D-CN) have said they will propose legislation to undo the order.
Murphy told the Washington Post on Monday that nominees to Trump’s Cabinet who have not been confirmed should have to answer for his foreign policy decisions thus far.
“We should take every ounce of time that we’re allowed on these nominees, to talk about the disaster that has been the first week of this administration especially when it comes to foreign policy,” he said.
