Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13 Oakland), Chair of the House Appropriations State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, applauded the passage of the NO BAN ACT, which would rescind the previous administration’s Muslim Ban and prohibit religious discrimination in various immigration-related decisions.
The NO BAN Act rescinds the Muslim Ban, as well as abuses of power harming refugees and individuals seeking asylum. It includes measures to limit the President’s overly broad authority to issue future bans by requiring these actions to be temporary and increases mandatory reporting requirements to Congress.
“Our nation was built by immigrant communities and is strengthened by diversity,” Congresswoman Lee said. “Today, the House Democrats passed the NO BAN Act, sending a clear message that xenophobia and Islamophobia will not be tolerated. Religious freedom is one of the fundamental guarantees of our democracy, and the NO BAN Act is a critical step in turning the page on the previous administration’s cruel and blatantly discriminatory agenda.
“While this is only the first step, we must continue fighting to prevent any president from abusing their authority to restrict the entry of non-citizens into the United States and work to ensure inclusion and acceptance for all. I am pleased that the Biden-Harris Administration supports this critical legislation and must keep working to get the NO BAN Act signed into law.”
This bill also takes measures to:
Stop Executive Overreach
Stops executive overreach by amending section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to place checks and balances on the President’s authority to temporarily suspend or restrict the entry of non-citizens or classes of non-citizens into the United States.
In placing these checks and balances on the President’s authority, this bill requires that the President ensure that any such suspension or restriction of non-citizens or classes of non-citizens:
Is based on specific and credible facts;
Is narrowly tailored;
Specifies a duration; and
Includes waivers.
Strengthen the INA’s Nondiscrimination Provisions by Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Religion
The bill also expands the Immigration and Nationality Act’s nondiscrimination provisions to prohibit discrimination based on religion.
Furthermore, the bill expands the Immigration and Nationality Act’s prohibition on discrimination beyond the issuance of immigrant visas to include the issuance of non-immigrant visas, entry and admission into the United States, and the approval or revocation of any immigrant benefit.
Who Is Congresswoman Barbara Lee?
Congresswoman Lee is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair of the subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. She serves as Co-Chair of the Steering & Policy Committee, former Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Chair Emeritus of the Progressive Caucus, Co-Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Health Task Force, and Co-Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus. She also serves as Chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity. As a member of the House Democratic Leadership, she is the highest ranking African American woman in the U.S. Congress.