Cory Booker, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren prep bill to block Trump’s Muslim registry
Senate Democrats are already preparing to fight against a “Muslim registry” if President-elect Donald Trump makes good on his campaign promise to create one.
According to the Washington Post, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) is preparing to introduce the bill, with Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Brian Schatz, Patty Murray, Jeff Merkley, Ed Markey, and Mazie Hirono as co-sponsors.
“Our legislation would block Donald Trump and subsequent administrations from infringing on religious liberty by creating an immigration-related religious registry,” Booker told the Post. “Forcing people to sign up for a registry based on their religion, race, or national origin does nothing to keep America secure.”
Booker went on to say that he knew introducing the legislation would be a long shot because of Republican majorities in both houses, but he felt it needed to be done and added that he hoped the bill would find bipartisan support. Freedom of religion, he argued, should find support on both sides of the aisle, after all.
“While I know that this effort faces difficult prospects in a Republican-dominated Congress, this is an issue of fundamental American values, freedom of religion, and nondiscrimination,” Booker said. “It’s important that we make a stand.”
