Homeland chief: Trump’s Muslim ban would hurt national security

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson says Donald Trump’s calls to bar Muslims from entering the U.S. would undermine security.

“It is irresponsible to do this and contrary to our national security efforts,” Johnson said Tuesday on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports.”

{mosads}”We are renouncing and rejecting his remarks, and we want to continue to build bridges with the Muslim community [across the country],” Johnson added. “Help us help you. Help us with public safety and your homeland security and the protection of your families.”

The Obama administration is denouncing Trump’s call to prevent non-citizen Muslims from entering the country amid growing fears of terrorism following attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, Calif.

White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes called Trump’s proposal “totally contrary to our values as Americans” on Monday evening, and other administration officials are adding their criticism.

“Having differences of views about national security policy is fair game in a political season. But there are some things that are just so over the pale, so irresponsible, so offensive, so un-American and almost likely unlawful and counter to our efforts that a lot of us have to speak out,” Johnson said on MSNBC Tuesday.

“We cannot vilify all Muslims. We cannot throw a web of suspicion on top of an entire religion like this,” he added.

Trump’s controversial remarks also faced universal pushback from the major Republican and Democratic presidential contenders.

The GOP front-runner defended his plan Tuesday, saying he wasn’t targeting Muslims who are American citizens and saying that it would only be a temporary measure to protect the country.