Washington DC: Church World Service today celebrated the passage of the National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants Act (NO BAN Act) in the House of Representatives. The bill, re-introduced in February by Representative Judy Chu (CA-27), would prohibit discrimination based on religion and limit executive authority to issue future bans like the Trump administration’s Muslim, refugee, and African Bans. The NO BAN Act upholds our nation’s principles of religious freedom and our moral obligation to welcome.
“During the Trump years, we saw the impact of an immigration policy driven by fear and rooted in lies. Families suffered, American communities were left waiting for their new neighbors, and our standing in the global community fell into disrepute. Our legacy of welcome should not be susceptible to the whims of political opportunism, nor should it be guided by xenophobia. The NO BAN Act will serve as a safeguard against religious discrimination and bigotry in our immigration and refugee resettlement systems. Now, it is up to the Senate to take up and swiftly pass the bill,” said Meredith Owen, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Church World Service.
CWS applauded President Biden’s rescission of the Muslim and African ban and the refugee ban, and earlier commended the NO BAN Act’s inclusion in the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. A letter from over 300 faith-leaders and faith-based organizations supporting the 116th Congress’s NO BAN Act is available here.
Since 1946, Church World Service has supported refugees, immigrants and other displaced individuals, in addition to providing sustainable relief and development solutions to communities that wrestle with hunger and poverty. Learn more about our work and join our global homebase for refugee solidarity at cwsglobal.org.