PHOTOS: Senator Harris Hosts Luncheon with Refugees and Advocates on Muslim Travel Ban You are here

Statement

This afternoon, Senator Kamala D. Harris held a luncheon in Van Nuys, California, with refugees and their families for a discussion on the impact of President Trump's Muslim Travel Ban. They were joined by advocates from World Relief, an organization that supports refugee resettlement, and pro bono lawyers that were on the ground within hours of the ban being issued.

Speaking on the Muslim Ban, Senator Harris said, "It's unnecessary and it's extreme, and you know I have said there is something that is going on right now that is intending to or certainly has the effect of inciting fear, where none needs to exist. We should be cautious, we should be afraid, we live in a dangerous world, but when we're talking about people who have gone through a two-year vetting process, and who have been found to qualify for refuge, is that where we're going to put our resources? Not to mention how this whole thing has been rolling out the past two weeks, it's been almost laughable if it weren't so serious."

At the luncheon, Senator Harris also highlighted the Access to Counsel Act, legislation she recently introduced to ensure that those held or detained while attempting to enter the United States, whether at a border crossing or a port of entry, are guaranteed access to legal counsel.

"There is a bill that I have proposed in the United States Senate that would entitle refugees and immigrants to access to a lawyer," said Harris. "And what is critical about that bill is that we heard countless stories of immigrants who are arriving who are asking to have access to counsel, to a lawyer, and are being denied access. It's important to know that the bill we are proposing does not require any additional taxpayer money. It is just simply saying do not deprive these individuals of access to an attorney when an attorney is there on the other side of the door to give them support and give them counsel."

Following the implementation of the Muslim Travel Ban, scores of refugees, Legal Permanent Residents, and Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders were detained at airports, stuck in countries overseas, and some denied entry all together, including those who served alongside the U.S. military as translators and mechanics.

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