Washington, D.C.—Church World Service today celebrated the reintroduction of the NO BAN Act, legislation that would shield against future attempts to ban entry into the United States on the basis of national origin or religion.
The bill would expand immigration protections to prohibit discrimination based on religion and limit executive authority to issue restrictions prejudicial against those displaced from counties with significant Muslim populations. By closing loopholes that have been previously exploited for discriminatory bans, passing the NO BAN Act would safeguard against religious discrimination and bigotry, regardless of the administration in power.
“Under the Trump administration, several travel bans targeted those from Muslim-majority and African nations on no grounds other than bigotry,” said Danilo Zak, Director of Policy for CWS. “These bans caused widespread hardship, reducing refugee arrivals from these countries by 90 percent, and ran contrary to the United States’ recognition of religious freedom and the internationally-recognized right to seek protection, no matter where you’re from. It is imperative that Congress strengthen these existing protections to ensure that xenophobic travel bans never occur again.”
First passed through the House of Representatives in 2021 and now reintroduced by Representative Judy Chu (D-CA) and Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), the NO BAN Act would prevent a future administration from imposing illegitimate travel restrictions driven by fear-mongering.
CWS urges Congress to pass the NO BAN Act, to expand and strengthen pathways to protection for all those fleeing persecution, no matter their religious or national identity. As climate change, political instability, and conflict are expected to result in over 130 million people displaced worldwide by the end of this year, the United States must maintain its international commitment to work with global partners to shelter and protect those displaced, regardless of nationality or religion.
For more information about CWS efforts to address forced displacement and to mitigate the causes of displacement, or to speak with Zak, contact media@cwsglobal.org.