The House of Representatives passed legislation Wednesday to restrict President Trump’s authority to impose general travel restrictions and repeal all iterations of his so-called “Muslim ban.”
The Prohibition Act, which has been in process for months, is Democrats’ response to Trump’s crackdown on Muslims entering the United States that he promised during the 2016 campaign and that materialized in several travel bans in countries in Muslim-majority regions and beyond. Democrats reproached the travel ban as a xenophobe and as a shameful stain on America’s reputation as a beacon of tolerance and religious inclusion.
FLARE TENSIONS IN THE SESSION OF THE HOUSE AS OTHERS HAVE THE PURPOSE IN TRUMP TRAVEL BAN
The repealing legislation was passed 233-183. But the victory will be short-lived as the Senate has no plans to take it, and Trump will surely veto control of his authority.
Representative Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan, happily presided over the House vote and began applauding after she announced the final count in the House. She and Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, made history in 2018 by becoming the first two Muslim women to be elected to the U.S. Chamber, and have routinely spoken out against Trump’s policies.
“I couldn’t help but celebrate,” Tlaib tweeted. “The smile under the mask was huge.”
Tlaib also posted a photo of the final vote count on the floor with the caption: “Framing this!”
Critics of the legislation say stripping the president’s travel authorities would make the United States less secure and mocked the bill as a political blow to Trump.
“It is not a policy,” said Rep. Doug Collins, R-Georgia. “It is about a person.”
THE HOUSE TAKES AN INVOICE THAT WOULD RESOLVE THE PREVIOUS THRONE OF THE FORBIDDEN JOURNEY BETWEEN THE CORONAVIRUS FIRE
Originally, the House had planned to pass the “Ban Prohibition Act” in March, but withdrew the bill to focus on the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation was written by Representative Judy Chu, a Democrat from California.
The first version of the travel ban became law by executive order shortly after the president took office in 2017 and included Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya, and Yemen. The ban was expanded earlier this year to include Myanmar, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania.
WHAT ARE THE NEW COUNTRIES IN THE LAST TRUMP TRAVEL BANK?
“In January 2017, President Trump issued the first Muslim ban, a xenophobic policy that has inflicted irreparable harm on Muslims here at home and around the world,” said Representative Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash.
He called for the repeal of innovative legislation. “Today is historic, as the Ban Prohibition Act is the first bill passed in the House that directly addresses Muslim civil rights,” said Jayapal.
Fox News’ Brie Stimson contributed to this report.
