Governor Baker: Federal Courts Should 'Straighten Out' Trump's Immigrant, Refugee Order

BOSTON, MA – As an estimated 15,000 demonstrated against President Donald Trump's latest executive order in Boston Sunday, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker issued a statement condemning an order that ban Green Card holders and refugees from select countries from entering the United States.

According to the governor, the order has implications for Massachusetts' academic community, its medical and research sectors and more.

His statement reads:

"Massachusetts is a global community. We all benefit from the shared experiences of our partners from around the world. Our education, health care, business and public sector institutions rely on these relationships to deliver on their missions every single day.

"The federal government's recent decision puts this at risk and I believe focusing on countries' predominant religions will not make the country safer as terrorists have showed they intend to strike from across the world. The confusion for families is real. The unexpected disruption for law abiding people is real. And the lack of guidance associated with such an abrupt and overwhelming decision is hugely problematic for all involved.

"Thankfully, the federal courts will have an opportunity to straighten this out and it is my hope they do so, and do so quickly to clarify the status of those affected so that people who have done nothing but follow the rules can rest assured that they will be able to go on with their lives."

The statement came as Democrats including U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey issued fiery speeches during a mass demonstration in Boston's Copley Square. On Saturday night, Warren and other politicians joined a hundreds-strong protest at Logan International Airport, where several international passengers were reportedly detained under the executive order.

They were two of numerous similar protests that sprung up in cities and at airports around the country over the weekend.

Signed Friday, Trump's executive order bans the entry of individuals from certain countries as immigrants and non-immigrants for 90 days. The order also bans the resettlement of refugees for four months and indefinitely suspends the entry of Syrian refugees. Once refugees are permitted to enter the country again, claims will be prioritized on the basis of religious-based persecution, provided that the religion of the individual is a minority religion in his or her respective country. The countries named are predominately Muslim, most likely prioritizing Christian refugees.

In the wee hours of Sunday morning, federal judges in Boston issued an order of their own, blocking the federal ban for seven days and "allowing lawful immigrants from Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Libya and Syria to enter the United States," according to the Boston Globe.

Trump responded to the criticism Sunday in a statement:

“America is a proud nation of immigrants and we will continue to show compassion to those fleeing oppression, but we will do so while protecting our own citizens and border. America has always been the land of the free and home of the brave.

We will keep it free and keep it safe, as the media knows, but refuses to say. My policy is similar to what President Obama did in 2011 when he banned visas for refugees from Iraq for six months. The seven countries named in the Executive Order are the same countries previously identified by the Obama administration as sources of terror. To be clear, this is not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely reporting.

This is not about religion - this is about terror and keeping our country safe. There are over 40 different countries worldwide that are majority Muslim that are not affected by this order. We will again be issuing visas to all countries once we are sure we have reviewed and implemented the most secure policies over the next 90 days.

I have tremendous feeling for the people involved in this horrific humanitarian crisis in Syria. My first priority will always be to protect and serve our country, but as President I will find ways to help all those who are suffering.”

He also lashed out on Twitter against news outlets, including The New York Times and Washington Post, and against two Republican senators who publicly criticized the ban.

Read More:

• Immigration Rally in Boston: Thousands Protest Trump's Executive Order
• Immigration Order: Protesters Flood Logan Terminal As Several Passengers Reportedly Detained [VIDEO]
• Harvard President on Immigrant, Refugee Order: 'We Are All Harvard'

Photo by Sarah Betancourt (Patch Staff)