Eric Swalwell: “America is and must remain a country that welcomes refugees, and we must welcome refugees of all religions. President…”

“America is and must remain a country that welcomes refugees, and we must welcome refugees of all religions. President Trump has our country under a Muslim ban that makes us less safe and less American. Less safe because we already have in place since World War II a process for vetting refugees who come to this country, an intense process that takes 18 to 24 months before anyone can get here. Less safe because it makes us less of a team player on an international stage that requires cooperation among our allies and those in the Middle East who are helping us fight terrorism. If we are not taking on refugees, as our allies, like Jordan and Germany and others who are in the thick of this fight, we will not be seen as a team player and we will not be able to count on them for cooperation. Less safe because it motivates and inspires an enemy who is determined to dispel a message that the United States is not welcome to Muslims. It makes us less American because refugees have helped America as much as America has helped refugees. We have seen this in the wisdom of Albert Einstein, the patriotism of Secretary Madeleine Albright.…”