It was more than three years ago that President Trump issued an executive order banning travel to the U.S. for individuals from a select set of Muslim-majority countries. There was a national outcry, but ultimately much of the ban was allowed by the courts to be implemented. The United Church of Christ, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and many other faith and civil society groups have consistently opposed such a ban, yet the President announced earlier this year an expansion of the countries to be included under the ban. It is time that we ended this policy and reassert our values as a nation that welcomes all.

A bill called the “No Ban Act” or H.R. 2214, the National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants Act, has been introduced in Congress which would prohibit such religious discrimination in various immigration-related decisions and offer protections against future discriminatory bans. The bill was introduced in March 2020 and now has over 219 co-sponsors.

Congressional leadership urgently needs to bring this bill forward for consideration to reverse course on these terrible policies or risk further actions by the Trump administration to advance its unnecessarily restrictive and cruel immigration agenda. Congressional Leadership controls the calendar of legislation for consideration and we’re asking Speaker Pelosi and Representative Hoyer to expeditiously bring forward the No Ban Act.

As people of faith we are called not just to envision a more just world, but are called to create it. Contact your member of Congress today to express your support for the No Ban Act and ask them to urge leadership to bring it to the House floor for a vote.