Jeff Sessions speaking at an event in Washington, DC. Photo by Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for US Attorney General, Senator Jeff Sessions has said he would not support a Muslim entry ban, and suggested that Trump had also replaced his controversial proposal with the idea of “strong vetting” of people from countries having terrroist activities.
Sessions, a longtime Republican from Alabama who is likely to be approved by the Senate as leader of the Justice Department, also told his confirmation hearing that he is a believer in religious freedom.
“I have no belief and do not support the idea that Muslims as a religious group should be denied admission to the United States,” Sessions, who faced a series of questions on such issues as immigration and Muslims, said in the light of his initially expressing backcing of the measure in response to terrorist attacks.
He praised American Muslims for their contributions to the United States.
“We have great Muslim citizens who contribute in so many different ways, and America, as I said in my remarks at the occasion that we discussed it in committee, are great believers in religious freedom and the rights of people to exercise their religious beliefs.”
Sessions was also questioned by Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont about his opposition to a resolution that advocated that the United States should not use religious tests for immigration.
In response, the Republican nominee for attorney general said his opposition to the resolution stemmed from his concern that “it (resolution) was suggesting that you could not seriously consider a person’s religious views.”
Continuing, Sessions explained : “Often, sometimes at least ― not in a majority, but many people do have religious views that are inimicable to the public safety of the United States. I did not want to have a resolution that suggested that that could not be a factor in the vetting process before someone is admitted.”
South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who, as a primary candidate had rejected the notion of a Muslim ban, brought the issue into a pointed focus.
Here is the exchange:
Senator Graham: Muslims. As you know, me and President-elect have had our differences. About religious test. Would you support a law that says you cannot come to America because you are a Muslim?
Senator Sessions: No.
Senator Graham: Would you support a law that says if you are a Muslim, you say your are a Muslim, And when we ask you, what does that mean to you, will that mean that you ‘ve got to kill everybody that is different from me, it is okay to say that they cannot come?
Senator Sessions: I think that would be a prudent decision.
Senator Graham : I hope we can keep people out of 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.”
Senator Sessions: But it can be the religion of that person.
Senator Graham: That is right. That is the point we are trying to make here.
Meanwhile, American Muslim politicians have welcomed Jeff Sessions’ statement, particularly in view of his past controversial statements.
Khizr Khan, a Pakistani-American legal expert, and Gold Star father, said it was a ressuring statement for him.
“Well, I was heartened to hear Senator Sessions say — and this is what he said, and I took a complete note of it sitting a couple of rows behind him, I was there throughout the morning. And he said he does not support Muslim ban, Muslims entering United States. Well that is in stark opposition than the position of Donald Trump, even today, at his website, the Muslim ban is listed as their position.”
