Opposing the idea of banning Muslims from entering the US, president-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Attorney General has asserted that the focus should be on individuals coming from countries that have a history of terrorism.
"I have no belief and do not support the idea that Muslims, as a religious group, should be denied admission to the United States," Senator Jeff Sessions told lawmakers during his confirmation hearing yesterday.
"We have great Muslim citizens who've contributed in so many different ways, and America, at the occasion that we discussed it in committee, are great believers in religious freedom and the right of people to exercise their religious beliefs," Sessions said.
He was responding to a question from Senator Patrick Leahy on the proposed Muslim ban which was one of the key campaign issues last year.
President-elect has repeatedly asserted his intention to institute a ban on Muslim immigrants to the United States, Leahy said.
"December 2015, you voted against a resolution that I offered in this committee that expressed a sense of Senators that the United States must not bar individuals from entering the United States based on their religion. All Democrats, most Republicans, including the chairman, were in support of my resolution," he said.
"Do you agree with the president-elect that the United States can or should deny entry to members of a particular religion, based on their religion? We do background checks for terrorism, but based on their religion. Do you agree with the president-elect the United States can or should deny entry to all members of a particular religion?" Leahy asked.
Sessions said Trump had subsequently to that statement made clear that "he believes the focus should be on individuals coming from countries that have history of terrorism."
He noted Trump had indicated that his policy and what he suggests is a strong vetting of people from those countries before they're admitted to the United States.
Sessions answered in negative when Senator Lindsay Graham asked him if he would support a law for banning Muslims from entering the US.
"Would you support a law that says you can't come to America because you're Muslim?" Graham asked.
"No," Sessions replied.
"Would you support a law that says that if you're a Muslim, you say you're a Muslim and when we ask you, what does that mean to you? Well, that means I got to kill everybody that's different from me, it's OK to say they can't come," Graham asked.
"I think that would be a prudent decision," Sessions responded.
"I hope we can keep people out of the country who want to kill everybody because of their religion. I hope we're smart enough to know that's not what most people in the Muslim faith believe," Graham said.
"But it can be the religion of that person," Sessions responded.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
