Democrats Vow To Fight Trump's Order On Immigration And Refugees NPR Democratic leaders held a protest Monday over President Trump's executive order on immigration. That's about as much as they can do to stop it, but it's not enough for some Democratic base voters. Facebook; Twitter. Google+. Email ... |
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Democrats Vow To Fight Trump's Order On Immigration And Refugees - NPR
Democrats will seek to quickly pass legislation on Monday night to rescind President Trumps travel ban from certain countries a likely futile attempt theyre poised to use to justify prolonging consideration of several top Cabinet nominees.
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Monday morning that he will be asking Senate Republicans to immediately consider legislation to rescind Trumps executive order signed Friday night that caused confusion at major airports nationwide and set off a wave of global reaction including a petition banning Trump from entering the United Kingdom and a limit on visas to Americans entering Iran.
[Trump defends executive order, says its not Muslim ban]
Criticizing Trumps order on Monday morning, Schumer told NBCs Today show, It was done in such a sloppy and careless way. ... It almost seems like back of the envelope.
Asked what Democrats planned to do in response, Schumer said he would call later Monday for the immediate consideration of a bill by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to rescind the order.
But that request is likely to be fruitless, given that Republicans would object to immediately consider such a measure and because there doesnt appear to be sufficient GOP support to outright reverse Trumps ban.
While a handful of Republican senators have expressed concerns, just seven John McCain (Ariz.), Jeff Flake (Ariz.), Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.), Ben Sasse (Neb.), Susan Collins (Maine), Cory Gardner (Colo.) and Dean Heller (Nev.) have said theyre opposed to the ban. If those Republicans joined the chambers 48 Democrats in supporting the bill, thats still not enough to clear various procedural hurdles that require 60 votes to overcome.
[Whip count: Where Republicans stand on Trumps immigration order]
Even if Democrats fail to make their point on the Senate floor, they hope to galvanize growing public concern by holding a rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday night. Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) have organized a rally for 6 p.m., an event that aides say was hatched over the weekend in a series of conversations between House and Senate aides and some lawmakers.
Stephen Miller, a top domestic policy adviser to Trump, defended the administrations travel ban on Monday, describing it as efficient, orderly, enormously successful.
In a world in which hundreds of millions of people would like to make America their home, it only makes sense that we engage in some kind of selections process that prioritizes the entry of people who, as the order stated, dont hold bigotry, hatred or violence against any sexual orientation, against any race or against any particular class of people, Miller told CBS This Morning.
Asked about growing public concern with the policy change, Miller said: Anytime you do anything hugely successful that challenges a failed orthodoxy youre going to see protests.
(Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)
Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, unveiled her bill Sunday night. Several other Democratic senators, including Chris Murphy (Conn.), said theyre working on legislation to address Trumps measure, which prevents people from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the United States for 90 days without a waiver.
The president should not be able to take this type of action unilaterally, given the severity of the consequences, Feinstein said in a statement announcing her legislation. Its one thing to screen people before they come to this country. We already do that. Its quite another to say that individuals who are from a particular country, belong to a particular faith, or are refugees fleeing conflict are banned from the United States.
Schumer said he would also seek to delay a scheduled vote to confirm Rex Tillerson as Trumps secretary of state. He told NBC that senators deserve to hear Tillersons views on the travel ban before holding a vote. The Senate is set to hold a procedural vote on the confirmation on Monday night before holding a final up-or-down vote on Tuesday.
Murphy told The Washington Post on Sunday that Democrats must slow the consideration of all of Trumps remaining Cabinet nominees in light of Trumps travel ban.
We should take every ounce of time that were allowed on these nominees, to talk about the disaster that has been the first week of this administration, especially when it comes to foreign policy, he said.
But again, Democrats would probably ultimately fail to derail confirmation of Trumps nominees. While they can use procedural tactics to slow down the length of time it takes to confirm a pick, just 51 senators are needed to confirm a nominee. Republicans enjoy a 52-seat majority in the Senate.
On a call organized by MoveOn.org last night, American Civil Liberties Union political director Faiz Shakir encouraged activists to demand a Senate slowdown until Trumps executive orders on immigration and refugees were tacked back.
Weve got [Justice Department and Alabama Sen.] Jeff Sessions, who were told was involved somehow in the drafting of these executive orders, Shakir said. If they want to press this through, say: You dont get an attorney general until you overturn the Muslim ban.
Currently, Sessionss nomination is scheduled for a Tuesday morning vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee and is expected to pass with every Republican voting in favor and every Democrat voting against. In the full Senate, only one Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.V.), has suggested that he will vote for Sessions, whose nomination is being scored as a key vote by the National Rifle Association.
Even as they showed up at airports this weekend to join protests or attempt to free travelers subject to the travel ban from detention, senators were challenged on their votes for Trump nominees. When Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) arrived at Dulles International Airport and delivered a speech about fighting this administration, a protester yelled, Will you block his nominees?
I will be blocking; I will be fighting against many of their nominees, including an attorney general nominee who I believed was involved in this tonight, Booker said.
That drew applause at the time, but Bookers use of the word many led to criticism online. And the demands for rougher Democratic tactics are not limited to the partys activist base. Shakir is a veteran of the office of former Senate Democratic leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.); Adam Jentleson, who was Reids former deputy chief of staff, argued in The Washington Post on Friday that Democrats should deny unanimous consent on Trump nominees, forcing Republicans to spend extra days debating them.
With 48 senators in their caucus, [Democrats] have the votes to block most bills, Jentleson wrote. But even when Democrats dont have the votes, they can force McConnell to spend time jumping through procedural hoops. This is the insight McConnell deployed against Reid to manufacture the appearance of gridlock, forcing him to use the cloture process more than 600 times.
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Democrats will attempt to rescind Trump's travel ban - Washington Post
Sen. Kaine Joins Other Democrats Condemning Trump's Immigration Order NPR January 30, 20174:58 AM ET. Heard on Morning Edition. Congressional Democrats were broadly aligned in criticizing Trump's ban on Muslim refugees from entering the country. Rachel Martin talks to Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who said he was appalled by ... |
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Sen. Kaine Joins Other Democrats Condemning Trump's Immigration Order - NPR
A.D. White Statue in front of Goldwin Smith Hall
More than 200 concerned Democrats from the local area gathered at the Tompkins County Public Library to discuss next steps for the party in a Listening Meeting organized by the Tompkins County Democratic Party on Saturday.
I knew we were going to have a very good turnout because people were very concerned, said Irene Stein, chairperson of the Tompkins County Democratic Committee. We also had RSVPs from our Facebook page, so from them alone, the room would overflow. Im not surprised, since people are just so concerned.
Facilitated by Ithaca resident Kirby Edmonds, the meeting themed take action at the local level and become more involved called upon registered Democrats to share their thoughts on what they hope to see happen at the local level in 2017.
Ivy Greene 17, political director of Cornell Democrats, addressed her concerns about the health care system.
Greenes heartfelt speech about her fathers recent recovery in the hospital drew tears from many in the audience, as she spoke up for the importance of health care.
If not for my moms health care, my dad would have died, Greene said. I encourage you to speak to lifelong conservatives to find common ground with them.
Among other proposals, many democrats suggested reaching out to Republicans and supporters of President Trump as a way to heal and move past division.
Harry Stringer of Enfield, who said he registered as a Democrat for the first time in his life to vote for Senator Bernie Sanders, spoke up for inclusive means to one of the loudest applauses of the meeting.
Im a lifetime blue collar worker, contractor and union supporter, and I voted for Mrs. Jill Stein, Stringer said. We must reach out to people we dont agree with.
Linda Hoffman, chair of the Democratic Committee of Ithaca, urged democrats to recruit more volunteers. Hoffman referred to the Democrats Facebook page and website, which he said needed improvement.
We need to be in a collective mode not an individual one to get our voices heard, Hoffman said.
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Local Democrats Aim to Move Past Division to Make Their Voices Heard - Cornell University The Cornell Daily Sun
Jan. 29, 2017, 12:38 p.m.
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. SchumerandDemocrats will introduce legislation as soon as Monday to stop President Trump's actions temporarilybanning refugees and arrivals from certain Muslim countries.
House Democrats are taking similar legislative action, and lawmakers from both chambers will rally Monday evening at the Supreme Court to protest Trump's orders.
"This executive order was mean-spirited and un-American," said Schumer, the New York Democrat, choking up as he stood with immigrants and refugees at a press conferenceSunday. "It must be reversed immediately."
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said House Democratsare exploring legal options, including an amicusbrief in support of the ACLU lawsuit againstthe actions.
The chances of passing a bill through the Republican-controlled Congress are slim, as most GOP leaders and lawmakers have not objected to Trump's ban.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Sunday that while he was personally opposed to a "religious test" on admissions, it was best left to the courts to resolve the issue.
"It's hopefully going to be decided in the courts as to whether or not this has gone too far," McConnell said on ABC's "This Week."
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) expressed his support Friday for Trump's action.
A handful of Republicans, though, are uneasy with Trump's orders, and have spoken against them.
Schumer noted that justfew moreRepublicans would be needed to reach the 60-vote threshold for advancing Senate legislation.
"Maybe we can pass something in Congress," Schumer said. "It's up to Republicans."
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Democrats in Congress drafting legislation to repeal Trump's refugee ban, pressuring GOP for support - Los Angeles Times