Washington, D.C. | www.adc.org | January 21, 2025 – The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) strongly opposes the new Executive Order signed by President Donald Trump, titled “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.” This directive lays the groundwork for another discriminatory policy that targets individuals from predominantly Muslim and Arab countries—essentially replicating the notorious 2017 Muslim Ban. The government now has wider latitude to use ideological exclusion to deny visa requests and remove individuals who are already legally in the United States.
Using identical statutory powers in President Trump’s 2017 Muslim Ban Executive Orders, this new directive instructs the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence to submit a report within 60 days identifying countries whose vetting and screening processes are deemed too deficient. That determination could trigger either partial or full suspensions on admitting nationals from these listed countries, as authorized by section 212(f) of the INA (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)).
The new order goes a step further than its 2017 predecessor by adding language that opens the door to ideological exclusion by allowing the government to deny visas or entry based on perceived political opinions, religious beliefs, or cultural backgrounds:
“Section 1. Policy and Purpose.
(a) It is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes.
(b) … And the United States must ensure that admitted aliens and aliens otherwise already present in the United States do not bear hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles, and do not advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to our national security.”
Moreover, the order authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to remove individuals from these identified countries who are already legally in the United States, again using ideology as a basis for removal. Such practices echo some of the most troubling chapters in our nation’s history, when the government barred and scrutinized people solely for their viewpoints or associations rather than any credible security concern.
ADC calls on the Trump Administration to stop stigmatizing and targeting entire communities, which only sows division. America’s promise of freedom of speech and expression—a principle that President Trump himself has long highlighted—now stands in stark contradiction to his new Executive Order. These measures, similar to the “Non-Profit Killer” and IHRA bills plaguing our federal and state legislatures, collectively chip away at our First Amendment rights from multiple angles, corroding the pillars of our democracy. We know that past iterations of the Muslim Ban failed to pinpoint actual threats, while imposing inhumane consequences on families seeking safety, reunion, or opportunity.
We cannot allow governments to continue to erode our First Amendment rights or to revive the fear and distrust that defined the post-9/11 era. Standing against these regressive measures is our shared responsibility. If we permit this corrosion of rights for one community, we risk the freedoms of all.
The ADC stands resolute in its commitment to protect the civil and human rights of Arab Americans and all who face discrimination. Our work depends on your support—particularly now, as we move to bolster the ADC Legal Department in response to this new Executive Order and anticipated future actions. Please consider donating today to help strengthen ADC’s legal efforts.
