Senate Democrats introduce bill to block Trump’s refugee ban

Senate Democrats are renewing their efforts to block President Trump’s refugee ban, arguing it is being used as a recruiting tool for terrorist groups. 

The legislation, spearheaded by Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), would block the administration from barring refugees based on what country they are from. 

“There’s no real danger to America from refugees who’ve gone through our vetting system and entered our country. The danger is that we help [the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria] recruit lone-wolf terrorists here at home by making clear that they have no place in our society. It’s up to Congress to fix this,” Murphy said. 

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He added, “Trump’s refugee ban puts American lives at risk and it plays right into the hands of our enemies.”

In addition to Murphy, Democratic Sens. Ben Cardin (Md.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Al Franken (Minn.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (Md.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) and Cory Booker (N.J.) are co-sponsoring the legislation, according to the Congressional Record. 

The Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit late last month that was brought by the state of Hawaii challenging the 90-day travel ban on nationals from six majority-Muslim countries and the 120-day halt on the U.S. refugee resettlement program, claiming the case is now moot.

But an appeals court ruled on Monday that the government can bar entry to people from six majority-Muslim countries — Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen — who lack ties to the United States.

The Trump administration has also capped the number of refugees the United States will accept overall at 45,000 for the fiscal year 2018 fiscal year. 

This week’s legislation isn’t the first time Democrats have tried to reverse the administration’s travel restrictions. 

Sixteen Democrats introduced legislation, spearheaded by Murphy, to undercut the order by withholding funding to enforce it in March. 

Democrats are unlikely to block Trump’s order through legislation. They would need 60 votes to clear the Senate, which would require the support of at least a dozen GOP senators.