On Thursday, February 25, 2021, Congresswoman Judy Chu reintroduced the National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants (NO BAN) Act. This bill, cosponsored by 137 House members and led in the Senate by Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), strengthens the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, and restores the separation of powers by limiting overly broad executive authority to issue future travel bans.
Interfaith Alliance is proud to be among the first organizations to endorse the newly introduced NO BAN Act. Passing the NO BAN Act has long been a top priority for Interfaith Alliance. Upon its first introduction on April 10, 2019, we joined a diverse coalition of nearly 400 civil rights, faith, national security and community organizations to support this historic legislation. Interfaith Alliance, with the coalition of supporting organizations, sent a joint letter to Congress urging our leaders to “send a strong message to the American people that how someone prays should not dictate whether the government can ban them from coming to the United States…Families should not be separated simply based on their faith. These are our shared values. It is time for Congress to act to overturn the Muslim Ban and stand against religious discrimination.”
The Muslim and Africa Bans inflicted significant harm to Americans and their families, keeping children from their parents and forcing them to miss the births, deaths, weddings, and funerals of loved ones. Though these bans have been rescinded by the Biden administration, Congress must act to prevent future discriminatory bans.
Pass the NO BAN Act to protect against future discrimination.
The NO BAN Act will amend the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to prohibit future discrimination on the basis of religion. With its passage, no president will ever again exclude an entire community from the United States without accountability. Learn more.
As a multi-faith organization, Interfaith Alliance is on the front lines of fighting the Muslim Ban and combating the rise of anti-Muslim bigotry in the Unites States. In a press release issued by Sen. Coons, Interfaith Alliance president Rabbi Jack Moline stated unequivocally:
The No Ban Act is a critical piece of legislation beginning the long work of restoring true religious freedom and repairing America’s proud legacy as a nation of immigrants and safe bastion for refugees escaping persecution and strife. Banning any one faith tradition, as Trump has done, flies in the face of our founding principle of religious freedom.
As an organization representing more than 75 faith communities, we know well that bigotry toward any tradition is an affront to all of us. We stand in solidarity with the Muslim community and in support of this critical piece of legislation.
Learn more about how Interfaith Alliance is working to build a brighter future for all.