VFAI Statement on President Trump's Executive Order on Refugees

We at Veterans for American Ideals condemn President Trump’s Executive Order temporarily barring all people from seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the United States. In joining the military, we raised our right hands and took an oath to defend our country and its values. Among the highest of American values is our enduring commitment to protecting the dignity and freedoms of all people, regardless of their national origin or faith.

Friday’s Order is a devastating symptom of rising Islamophobia, of a pattern in our policies and behavior increasingly driven by fear and lack of understanding rather than the compassion that is at the core of this nation’s identity. As a result, we now find ourselves unwilling to open our doors to people seeking only safety and refuge — even those who, like Mr. Hameed Khalid Darweesh, bravely served alongside American troops. 

As a group of veterans of all political views, we believe that America is strongest when our policies and actions reflect our ideals. This Order, which amounts to a ban on Muslims, goes against our most deeply held values and beliefs.