July 21, 2020

On July 22, 2020, the House will vote on the NO BAN Act, a strong first step toward unraveling some of the worst consequences of his administration’s immigration policy. Trump’s promise of “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States” was an effort to avoid the delicate balance of revitalizing the economy amid increases to the available labor supply. Prior to the pandemic, Trump’s Muslim Ban and domestic economic policies decreased unemployment, but only through more precarious employment and gig economy jobs. The fragility of the economy was demonstrated once the COVID-19 outbreak hit, where even Congress’ $3 trillion stimulus package could not stop 50 million Americans from needing to file for unemployment and 30 million from losing access to their employer-provided healthcare. 

Not only would the NO BAN Act weaken immigration restrictions as an artificial and nativist tool to improve the economy, but it would also make good on this country’s values of religious freedom and providing refuge to those fleeing persecution and seeking a better life at our shores. It would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act in order to restrict the ability of any future President to suspend or restrict immigration into the country, particularly through imposing an explicit prohibition of religious discrimination in immigration-related decisions. 

This bill is the culmination of our years-long effort to counter the Trump administration’s immigration policy. Even after the bill faced significant revisions in Committee, we continued work with our coalition partners to ensure that it retained its core functions. After the COVID-19 outbreak and the vote for the NO BAN Act was delayed, we called on Congress to take a vote on the NO BAN Act after their return from recess. 

On July 22, 2020, they finally will. We ask that you contact your representatives prior to the floor vote and ask them to vote yes on the NO BAN Act.