Non-verbatim summary of a news conference today
in New Jersey on President Trump’s immigration order.


U.S. Senator Bob Menendez The U.S. was founded by those escaping from religious persecutions.   What we are doing is rejecting, for example, those Iraqi interpreters who helped our military at a critical juncture during wartime. This undermines national security.
It sends the message Don’t join the Americans because they will turn their backs on you. We will do what we can to de-fund elements of the (Trump) executive order.  In all my years working on immigration I’ve never seen such fear and also such absolute commitment to push back.


U.S. Senator Cory Booker: Trump has put American citizens at greater risk and has undermining our core values. The ban applies to seven countries, none of which has been involved with the death of Americans for 40 years. He is carving out exemptions based on religious beliefs. It send the signal that we are declaring war on Islam. We are not, but it plays into the hands of terrorists. It blocks constructive partnerships with other countries.
 It also creates an environment at home that isolates immigrant communities.  To force local police to enforce the order undermines the job of local police in creating cooperation with local communities. We all believe in the ideal of religious freedom. We cannot accept this and are calling on all Americans to reject it.


Newark Mayor Ras Baraka;  We are standing behind our position as a security city. We support residents who come to work every day and help to build our community. We will not participate. Won’t let him (Trump) use local police to return people to where he thinks they belong.  We need to bring the world closer together not push it apart.


Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop: The order is personal for me. Most of my family came here escaping Nazi Germany. Many of my relative died in the camps. We have a large Syrian community in Jersey City. We had a productive meeting today with community leaders and want to make our security city even stronger and to be an example to other
like-minded cities.