ms. warren: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from massachusetts. ms. warren: thank you, mr. president. on friday night, president donald trump issued an executive order that strikes at the very heart of our democracy. i wish that i were exaggerating. i wish that there were some thrsh this were some sort of a game. but the ban that keeps refugees and immigrants from entering our country is illegal. it is unconstitutional. it is immoral, and it must be overturned. the effects of this order were immediate and terrifying for people in massachusetts and all across this country. my office got a call from an iranian citizen who was traveling to massachusetts to see his daughter who is currently receiving treatment for cancer. he was denied boarding in germany and sent back to iran. we heard from a woman who already has an approved immigrant visa but still hasn't found an airline that will allow her to board a flight to the united states. and a massachusetts resident called because her cousin was not allowed to board a flight either. another massachusetts resident called because her iranian sisters were denied boarding at london heathrow. both have their valid j-1 visas. one is a visiting professor at harvard and the other is a post-doc fellow at harvard medical. we heard from an iranian student studying at m.i.t. she was denied entry on saturday and what they tried to return on sunday, after the temporary stay had been issued, she was denied boarding by lufthansa. and a massachusetts student called because his wife was denied boarding in switzerland. none of these people are criminals. none of these people are threats. they're students at some of the world's top universities. they're doctors and scientists at some of the country's best hospitals. most of them have already been vetted and granted the right to come to america. one is a father who wants to see his cancer-stricken daughter. they are husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, friends and neighbors. they are people. they are real people. they are part of what makes massachusetts great and they are part of what makes america great. donald trump's radical ban on muslims isn't in line with american values or with our constitution. it is also not in line with what the republican party stands for. in the months following the attacks of september 11, president george w. bush made a point to remind the united states that we were not at war against islam. in a speech in april of 2002, he said -- and i want to quote here -- "america rejects bigotry. we reject every act of hatred against people of arab background or muslim faith. america values and welcomes peaceful people of all faiths: christian, jewish, muslim, hindu, sikh and many others. every faith is practiced and protected here because we are one country. every immigrant can be fully and equally american because we are one country. race and color should not divide us because america is one country." do senate republicans agree? if so, then come down here and say so. where are you? where are senate republicans when their republican president issues an order targeting one religious group? let's be clear about what happened here. keeping the details secret, working with a small group of operatives inside the white house, consulting no experts in diplomacy or homeland security and getting advice from outsiders with no actual legal authority, president trump acted unilaterally to issue this order. and make no mistake, while it may not affect every muslim in the world, donald trump's executive order is a muslim ban and it is unconstitutional. this is a crisis. the senate should take up and pass senator feinstein's bill to overturn this illegal order right now. what's happening is shocking. it is shocking but it is not surprising. donald trump is doing exactly what he said he was going to do. during his presidential campaign, he promised and i quote, a total and complete shutdown of muslims entering the united states. that's what he said. and last year it seemed like president much everyone agreed, that this was not acceptable in the united states of america. speaker paul ryan declared that -- quote -- "a religious test for entering our country is not reflective of america's fundamental values. i reject it." so where are you now, paul ryan? have you rejected president trump's order to impose a religious test for entering our country? have you introduced a bill to overturn it? you have the power. where are you? as governor of indiana, vice president mike pence said that -- quote -- "calls to ban muslims from entering the u.s. are offensive and unconstitutional." so where are you right now, vice president pence? have you called to overturn president trump's offensive and unconstitutional order? have you asked republicans to introduction a bill to overturn it? you have a platform. where are you? and senate majority leader mitch mcconnell called a muslim ban -- quote -- "completely and totally inconsistent with american values." so where are you right now, mitch mcconnell? have you rejected president trump's muslim ban that is completely and totally inconsistent with american values? have you introduced a bill to overturn it? you have the power. where are you? president trump ignored these republican leaders, and today these republican leaders will not stand up for what is right. president trump may be willing to ignore the constitution and the laws of the united states of america, and the republican leadership in congress may be willing to ignore the constitution and the laws of the united states of america, but the american people are not. this weekend americans across this country came together to reject this sort of fear and hate. the american people showed courage, even as the republican leadership hid out. crowds of people raced to airports across this country to welcome immigrants and refugees and to demand compliance with court rulings that gave individuals and families temporary relief and to demand that this reckless order be rescinded. i was proud to stand with hundreds of people at logan airport in boston on saturday night, and then with more than 20,000 people in copley square on sunday. we had one of the biggest demonstrations in the country. i also want to say i am in awe of the hundreds of lawyers and translators who dropped everything and spent sleepless nights in airport terminals and courts fighting for justice. because of their tireless work, we have already been able to undo some of the damage caused by president trump. now, while i am encouraged by our victories in the court this weekend, the trump administration has derided these judges and in some instances refused to follow these orders. this is shocking and unconstitutional. congress must act. we must act now. congress must stand up and say to president trump that this is not who we are. congress must say to donald trump and to the world we will not turn our backs on lawful immigrants and refugees fleeing murderers. we will not turn our backs on people who risk their own lives to protect our soldiers in iraq and in the fight against isis. we will not give isis more recruiting material. we will not promote an imagined religious war between america and islam. we will stand for our values, for american values, for human values. we will not be divided by hate and fear. 15 months ago i traveled to the greek island of lesvos. this was the first stop for many refugees as they flee from the terrors of isis. that is where i saw the shoddy paper thin rubber rafts that people cram on to with nothing more than a hope and a prayer that they will make it across a choppy sea. i saw the little plastic pool floaties that people put on small children hoping that it would be enough to save them if the raft went down. and i met a 7-year-old girl who had been sent out on that perilous journey alone. i thought about what horrors her parents must have faced to hand a wad of cash to human smugglers with only the most desperate dream, that their little girl would find something better on the other side. president trump is trying to shut the door on that little girl and on countless others who are fleeing for their lives. he's trying to shut the door on children, on doctors, on students, on engineers, on husbands and wives, on grandmas and grandpas. that's not all. president trump is trying to shut the door on people who risked their lives helping american soldiers, people who face execution in the hands of terrorists if they are sent ba back. president trump is even trying to shut the door on legal immigrants, on students and faculty, on people who work in massachusetts and across this country, on people who have already been thoroughly screened for entry into the united states and have been granted permanent status to live and work in our country. this has nothing to do with security, nothing. little girls fleeing from murderers are not a threat. elderly grandparents detained at airports are not a threat. students and teachers and people who work in massachusetts and across the country are not a threat. iraqi translators who put their own lives at risk to protect american soldiers are not a threat. we should welcome them. we should welcome them with open arms. that is who we are. voices from across the political spectrum, including many of my friends from across the aisle have already stepped forward to criticize this order, but criticism is not enough. president trump's executive order must be overturned. we must overturn it. for those who remain unconvinced, i would like to take some time this evening to talk about some of the people who are hurt by the president's reckless, heartless, illegal, unconstitutional actions. stories have poured into my office, on evening news, on social media. we have heard time and time again about the consequences of president trump's reckless and illegal order. i would like to share some of those stories in my time tonight. i want to start with a story -- i want to read one. my staff and i have spent the weekend listening to and meeting with people who have been affected. i have seen firsthand the devastating effects of president trump's actions. and i want to start with a story of someone i met at logan airport on saturday night. the story i want to read is from cbs boston, detainee released after federal judge grants stay on trump's immigration freeze. ha mad asani bay was questioned at logan airport saturday while trying to get back into america after caring for his sick father in his native iran. he has lived in the boston area for approximately nine years after a judge granted a case brought by lawyers from the american civil liberties union saturday night, asani bay was reunited with his wife and daughter who had traveled with him to iran but returned two weeks earlier. he was not angry about his questioning. everybody was friendly, asani bay told wbz's jim smith. they had to do what they had to do. i'm grateful for all the people back there, but it was chaotic. his wife is now questioning what the future will be like for her family in america. it's just terrifying how my life has changed in two days, three days, she said. i don't know about the future. last week everything was normal. i would pick up my daughter from preschool and she was like everyone else. i was like everyone else. but now we're different. i met with this family. this is what president trump's order means. it means stopping people like this and telling them that their future is different now in america. i'm going to read another story. this one is from nbc boston. protesters rally as doctors, students blocked from entering the country after trump's orders. at boston logan international airport, at least six people from iran were detained saturday night after their flights landed in the u.s. a federal judge in new york issued a temporary stay late saturday for all detainees affected by trump's executive orders which barred all refugees from entering the united states for four months and indefinitely halted any from syria. trump argued the ban is needed to keep out -- quote -- radical islamist terrorists. a tweet by samira, an iranian doctor, stated that she was denied boarding when she arrived for her flight to the united states from germany. in a skype interview from switzerland, she told us she had planned to come to the u.s. to start a study at harvard medical school analyzing tuberculosis. quote, "my view of america, of course, doesn't change because of a decision a politician makes. my view of america changes because the land that used to be the land of those who want to be there, who want to do something good to the community and take something good from the community, that picture of america has changed for me ," she said. several students at massachusetts colleges also tweeted that they were being blocked from entering the country. in a statement, m.i.t. officials said that they're very troubled that trump's executive order is affecting the university's community and are exploring options for helping impacted students. northeastern university in a statement to their community offered to support their students, faculty and staff reminding them of their commitment to each other. yeah, we believe in the commitment to each other, but that's what it is that donald trump is trying to destroy. another story from wbur. somalia family resettling in lowell worries for other refugees as trump promises restrictions. the order will have global implications, including for one newly arrived somali family now living in lowell. the three ahmeed sisters from somalia huddled on the couch with their mother in the lobby of a busy office. each wore a brightly colored head scarf. each clutched a plastic bag carrying their personal documents. they are the most recent refugees to be welcomed at the international institute of new england's lowell resettlement office, and with trump's refugee restrictions hanging in the balance, they are likely the last somali family to enter the state for some time. quote -- "my mom and dad fled from the conflict, explained ala owe ahmeed. she and her sister fled for kenya. she retold the story of her mother fatimah and how she and her father left in 1993 amid the somali civil war. she said it was like conflict all over the country, she said. people were killing each other like tribes, different tribes were killing each other. whenever they see you, they kill you and they even used to come in the houses to rape the girls and kill them. so they had to move. the youngest daughter asha was born in kenya where the girls grew up and went to school and learned english. still they all very much consider themselves somali. when asked about their father, one of the young women said she watched him die in 2006 from an asthma attack. she said the family didn't have enough money for a new inhaler. after beginning the refuge application in kenya six years ago, the family arrived in manchester, new hampshire, only a few days ago. hawa and muna said their arrival felt real, like a dream come true. and then hawa said, as soon as they got off the plane, they saw the news about trump's executive orders on the airport television. even tears were filled up in my eyes, because i felt very bad for others, she said. they have more expectation. some were even told that they are going, which city they are going. and if they stop all these things, it's going to be very painful. i just have a very sincere request to the president, that he should drop out that idea. that's all. hawo said that they know many fellow refugees in kenya who are in the final phases of their application process. she said, her aunt and cousin who fiscal cliff a refugee camp in kampala, uganda, had only one more interview to complete before they were hoping to meet them in massachusetts. now they're not sure what will happen. i couldn't sleep last night just thinking about them, and she has been in the process for so long. and we want, if you can help her, hawo said. that is what donald trump is doing to people around the world. another story -- wcbv tv. trump's executive order worries massachusetts family awaiting loved one. with the stroke of a pen, president donald trump fulfilled a campaign promise that temporarily bans more thank 130 million people from entering the united states. several people were prevented from entering boston due to trump's executive order. quote -- we are very worried. we are very concerned, omar salem of canton said. quks i'm hoping for the best. aim hoping that i can get a text from him saying 'i'm here'." salel is awaiting his brother's arrival. he was an vacation when the president signinged the executive order, suspending visa +spwreu from seven -- entry from seven countries. we dints know it was going to be that bad and that shameful, salem said. salem's brother thought his green card woul would be enougho secure his return but the business owner is now facing unsent. "it always starts somewhere and we see it evolving and becoming much bigger and much more sophisticated," salem said. while he is thoapg see his brother soon, his heart is heavy for the millions of refugees and visa holders who see the united states as a sanctuary of freedom and acceptance. i really call it un-american do this with the stroke of a pen," salem said. the seven countries included in the executive order may be just a startingpoint, as the order left room for a broader ban. that is what donald trump is doing around the world. another story. this is a facebook post from nikki ramadi -- ramatiti, a student at m.i.t. "i just got back home and thought i should break this silence. i want to start by saying how grateful i am to all the friends, faculty, alums, sorrity cities terse and staff at m.i.t. and other parts of the u.s. who have contacted me in the past couple of hours. my in-box is flooded with messages and e-mails of love and support. i am truly speechless, grateful and proud to be part of the m.i.t. community. i have never been subjected to any form of religious or racial discrimination at m.i.t. our community is extremely diverse, inclusive, supportive, and accepting of individuals and their backgrounds. but i cannot believe all this love is coming from the same country that banned me for -- from entering its borders just a couple of hours ago. i don't want to get to the political mess that has created this situation for me and many others. i just want to share what millions of other people and i are going through and simply what it feels like to be an iranian and targeted to such racism and discrimination, things i have been very familiar with most of my life. i currently have a valid multiple entry student visa that i have used for the past year and a half and i have traveled very smoothly, i came home to visit my parents and family. i spues expected i would not be able to travel at easy -- as sighs as before with the new president, so -- so i extended y state. here's the story of what happened this past week. on wednesday, i woke up to the announcement of a new executive order by president trump that would restrict entry for syrian refugees and citizens of seven majority muslim countries -- iran, iraq, libya, sudan, somalia, syria, and yemen -- for 30 days. as bbc persian, one of the reliable sources here, contacted immigration attorneys and politicians, this order was read and interpreted as -- quote -- "issuance of any types of immigrant and nonimmigrant visas would be banned for citizens of those countries for 30 days." the president had not yet signed this order, so the ban was not yet effective. i changed my flight to another one that would get me to boston on saturday night with a transfer in qatar. it was rumored that the president signed the order once i was on my way to the airport, and it was executed while i was in my first flight to doha. but i looked on the white house web site, bbc, and "the washington post" and nothing had been published yet. when i got to doma, i was stopped at the gate. we fowntdz that the ban which was effective for 90 days now instead of 30 days included everyone currently holding an immigrant, tourist visa as well as green cardholders. we heard a a lot of people were deported at the american border. about 30 other iranians and i were stuck in doha waiting for flights about a being to tehran. among them were old couples trying to go and see their children in the u.s. too old women trying to be with and help their pregnant daughters there for their third trimesters. students who had just gotten their visas and families who had sold their belongings back home. so they could build a better life in the u.s. all these people had gotten visas legally and had gone through background checks. the president had said that the goal of this order was dealing with illegal immigration. do any of these people sound like illegal immigrants? this will not secure the borders from terrorism and illegal immigrants. it will only increase racism in the american society. the president is trying to make islam phobia a norm and a policy by which he wants to lead the country. there has not been a single terrorist activity from those seven countries listed above in the u.s. if you feel like helping millions of people facing this, please contact your representatives or senators in your areas and ask them to fight against this absurd ban. reach out to friends and ask them to do the same. please also let me and everyone else know how we can contribute to this. as i was stuck in doha with other iranians, i was telling stories of interactions with many of the americans i know. please know that i love and respect all of you because you have always treated me with love and respect. this is who donald trump is trying to keep out of the country. another story. this time from cnn. a syrian teen was headed to m.i.t. and then came the ban. mamad hasan was ecstatic when he got the acceptance lemplet -- letter. all through high school, the 18-year-old had one goal in mind: get an engineering degree from massachussetts institute of technology. but hasan is from damascus, syria, and friday he had his hopes crushed through no fault of his own. when president trump signed an executive order on immigration temporarily banning citizens from certain muslim-majority countries, syria was one of the seven. quote -- now trump's orders will prevent me from going there," he told cnn. "my dreams are basically ruine ruined." ahsan had been looking forward to his journey to the cambridge campus in the fall. he has read and reread that letter from m.i.t. dozens of times. "dear mahmoud, on behalf of the admissions committee, it is my pleasure to offer you admission to the m.i.t. class of 2021. you stood out as one of the most talented and promising students in one of the most competitive applicant pools in the history of the institute." hasan doesn't know what he will do next. this is who donald trump is determined to keep out of america. another story. this one is from our office. a constituent from concord, massachusetts, came into my office in boston just this morning, monday, january 30, 2017 -- just today. and she came looking for a more information on the current status of the muslim ban on behalf of her husband, who was originally born in iran. now, she explained that when he was young, he received refugee status in us a strail -- australia for religious persecution and he was raised in the behai fanal. he know has dual citizen in iran and australia and is a green cardholder of ten years here in the united states. he is the vice president of a start-up company that requires him to travel outside the country often, but has decided that because of the latest executive orders to stay grounded in the united states until further notice. he is currently safe in the united states. he has also decided to begin his united states citizenship application, and the couple has two young children that they are raising in the united states. afraid to travel outside the united states on business because of donald trump's ban. another story. this is a story via "the wall street journal." "iraqi interpreter laif alhadar received multiple death threats for working with the american military at the height of the war in his country. in return for helping the u.s., he and tens of thousands of other iraqis were promised u.s. immigration visas. nearly four years after he applied, the 41-year-old father of two is still waiting for a visa, and now he faces a new setback: president donald trump signinged an executive order suspending immigration from several countries with a muslim majority, including iraq, and a temporary ban on all refugees. mr. hadar is among the roughly 58,000 iraqi applicants for u.s. immigrant visa and refugee resettlement under the federal programs that promised to fast-track entry for iraqis who worked with the u.s. government and other institutions deemed critical to the u.s.-led effort in iraq. according to the state department. a similar program for afghans who've worked with the u.s. government may also be at risk. at least one iraqi and two afghans who worked with the u.s. government and also qualify for expedited immigration visas were turned away from american ports of entry on friday and saturday, a state department official said. adding that several more were prevented from boarding planes to the united states. a substantial backlog of applications remains, in part, because congress limits the number of visas that can be grantinged each year. frustration with visa delays has now been aggravated by mr. trump's executive orders. critics of the visa ban say it abandons thousands of valuable allies abrbroad and risks deterring such people from working with the u.s. in the future, at a time when mr. trump is promising a more aggressive military posture abroad. quote -- "these guys laid their lives on the line alongside american soldiers and got paid a fraction of what i made" said jake thomas, a u.s. army veteran, who worked with mr. haydar in iraq and lives in georgia. if they want out, we need to honor our promises and get them out. mr. thomas is one of several u.s. military officers who have written letters to the state department appealing for mr. haydar to get a visa. he said he sympathizes with some of the views regarding immigration that mr. thumb campaigned on -- mr. trump campaigned on but iraqis like mr. haydar were singled out and shot at and we made a promise, he said. mr. thomas said he knew of five iraqi interpreters who were killed in the 15 months of his last tour in iraq, including three who were gunned down in their homes for working with the u.s. military. president trump continues to ignore the damage that he is doing to the safety of our country, and our service men and service women overseas, brave men and women who risk their lives to help u.s. soldiers in iraq have already been caught up in the president's unconstitutional order. i just want to associate myself with the man who said, who had been there, a soldier who had been there, said america made a promise. i believe in an america that keeps its promises. donald trump's order breaks our promises. another story, this one from marcola, the p.r.i. the iraqi linguist who worked side by side with u.s. troops in baghdad put her life on the line for america's war effort. now her family is in danger back in iraq and she fears her efforts to get them to safety in america are all but doomed. i'm scared. the chance to see my family reunited again is very slim now, she says. people like me and my family who helped and supported america, i believe we should be reunited. the history of the united states is to support people and help them, not to separate families. marcola was just 18 and living in baghdad shortly after american tanks rolled into the iraqi capital in 2003. thieves recruited to work for the u.s. military. her role call the attention of iraqi militants. they sought revenge and burned down marcola's house, kidnapped her father and murdered her husband. fearing for her life, she applied for u.s. visa and in 2013, after seven years of waiting, she received the permission she had been waiting for. but marcola had to leave her parents and siblings behind even though she says they too were in danger because of her service to u.s. troops. she says she tries to talk with her family in baghdad daily. every day their lives are in danger, she says. they have to change their address, move from place to place. they live in the unknown. marcola is worried that the refugee ban proposed wednesday means her parents and siblings will never reach american soil. we already been through extreme vetting. i understand and i respect the u.s. rules and the safety and national security. i understand that, and i respect that. however, there are people in iraq who have a long history of supporting america in iraq and afghanistan. the linguists, the translators, they deserve and they need their papers to be expedited. these are the people that donald trump is keeping out of america. another story from mother jones. immoral, stupid and counterproductive. national security experts slam trump's muslim ban. quote -- "at the moment we need the most we're telling these people get screwed." while trump's executive order claims to be in the interest of "protecting the nation, experts in security and counterterrorism spoke with mother jones, argue it poses potentially disastrous immediate security threats to the nation and to u.s. personnel overseas. not only is it immoral and stupid, it is also counterl productive says patrick skinner, a former c.i.a. terrorism case officer who now works at sufan, a security consulting firm. quote -- "we've got military intelligence and diplomatic personnel on the ground right now in syria, libya and iraq who are working side by side with the people embedded in combat and training and advising. at no time in the u.s.'s history have we depended more on local -- and i mean local -- partnerships for counterterrorism. we need people in syria. we depend on people in certain parts of eastern mosul, iraq and libya p. at the exact moment we need the most we're telling these people get screwed. curt w. johnson, who spent a year on reinstruction in fallujah and iraq with usaid echoes skinner's fears. this will have immediate national security implications in that we're not going to be able to recruit people to help us right now, and people are not going to step forward to help us in any future wars if this is our stance. the u.s.-led war on isis is but one of a front of constellation of fights against extremist groups that could be hampered by trump's decision. "the u.s. is officially banning people in these countries at the same time we're trying to build up local support to fight isis" skinner says. it takes a long time to build trust with these people. you have to start over and say, okay, starting now trust me. how many times can you get away with that? it also sends a message that groups like the so-called islamic state can exploit. elizabeth goyteam, the codirector of the brennan center liberty and national security program says the message this protects is that america sees muslims as a threat. not specific actors who are intent on committing terrorist acts. the message that america really is at war with islam will be isis's best friend. busby reports mike jiglio spoke with five former isis fighters who cited trump's divisiveness as a factor that will weaken america. they added that his rhetoric against muslims will help them reinforce their narrative that america and the west are fighting not just terrorism, but fighting islam itself. trump will shorten the time it takes for us to achieve our goals, said one. meanwhile the very allies who have operated alongside u.s. personnel in war zones for years, contractors and translators like dash we shall shall -- dash we shall -- darweesh are being abandoned. many allies face torture, kidnapping and death after collaborating with american soldiers. it all started in 2006 when he heard from an iraqi usaid colleague who had been identified by a militia. the militia left a severed pig's head on his doorstep along with a message saying that it would be his head next. despite his years of helping the united states, the u.s. government offered no help and he had to flee the country with his wife. "we're not going to be able to recruit people to help us right now, and people are not going to step forward to help us in any future wars if this is our stance." this is what donald trump's executive order is doing. it is putting americans at risk around the world. another story from "newsweek," "spy veterans say trump's muslim country visa ban will hurt recruitment." president donald trump's temporary ban on immigrants from seven muslim majority nations takes a major recruiting tool out of the hands of u.s. spy handlers say a growing number of intelligence veterans. for decades c.i.a. and u.s. military intelligence spy recruiters have held out the promise of eventual resettlement in america to induce foreigners to turncoat and work secretly for the united states against terrorist groups or repressive governments. in reality, many were caught before they ever made it. but during the cold war, countless eastern europeans living under communist rule and more recently muslims across the middle east, north africa and central asia have worked secretly for u.s. spy agencies on the promise that they or their children would eventually be extracted. another effective recruiting tool for u.s. operatives has been to offer their agents' families medical care or education in the united states. those inducements, a primary recruiting tool in muslim lands, were effectively suspended with trump's executive order friday to temporarily ban immigration from seven critical targets of the u.s. spy agencies: iraq, iran, syria, yemen, sudan, libya, somalia. the departments of state and homeland security, the other stipulations may allow entry from those countries on, quote, a case by case basis." but it's a bulky arrangement and not likely to appeal to the managers of the c.i.a.'s highly secretive operations directorate, espionage and covert action arms. intelligence veterans with vast counterterrorism experience are expressing dismay about how the order will affect their spy operations. these individuals often put themselves at the risk of death for working with the united states. and without the ability to offer them safety, we will be reducing the likelihood that those in countries targeted by the ban will work with us in the future. phillip lohas, decorated veteran of the u.s. special operations command and c.i.a. tells "newsweek" -- quote -- "we relied heavily on local translators many of whom have gone on to forge productive lives for themselves here in the states, lohas added. why would they take such a risk if they knew that they would face retribution or death by staying in their home countries? absolutely agreed cindy store, a former member of the c.i.a. intelligence team that tracked al qaeda leader osama bin laden. it hurts, she said in a brief interview. capital h-u-r-t-s. imagine, she said if the ban had been in place when a sudanese muslim and key al qaeda operative showed up at the american embassy in the mid-1990's and volunteered to defect to the united states. f.b.i. counterterror agents brought him into the u.s. where he provided -- quote -- "a major breakthrough of intelligence on a creation, character, direction and intentions of al qaeda, according to the official 9/11 commission reports. and that is what donald trump is putting an end to. another story, "the washington post," "dissent memo circulating in the state department over trump's policy on refugees and immigrants." for this one, foreign service officers have written a memo and have shared it with the "washington post" in opposition to president trump's executive order. and here are excerpts from a leaked dissent memo by u.s. foreign service officers regarding the executive order. it will immediately sour relations with these seven countries as well as much of the muslim world, which sees the ban as religiously motivated. these governments of these countries are important allies and partners in the fight against terrorism, regionally and globally. by alienating them, we lose access to the intelligence and resources we need to fight the root causes of terror abroad before the attack occurs within our borders. it will increase anti-american sentiment. it will have an immediate and clear humanitarian impact. it will have a negative impact on the u.s. economy. looking beyond its effectiveness, this ban stands in opposition to the core american and constitutional values. this ban stands in opposition to the core american and constitutional values that we as federal employees took an oath to uphold. the united states is a nation of immigrants, starting from its very origins. the concept that immigrants and foreigners are welcome is an essential element of our society, our government and our foreign policy. so, too, is the concept that we are all equal under the law and that we as a nation abhor discrimination, whether it is based on race, religion, sex or national origin. combined together, that means we have a special obligation to maintain an immigration system that is as free as possible from discrimination, that does not have implied or religious -- or actual religious tests, and that views individuals as individuals, not as part of stereotyped groups. banning travelers from these seven countries calls back to some of the worst times in our history. laws enacted in the 1920's, which lasted through the 1960's, severely restricted immigration based on national origin, and in some cases race. the decision to restrict the freedom of japanese americans in the u.s. and foreign citizens who wanted to travel to settle in the u.s. during the 1940's has been a source of lasting shame for many in our country. decades from now, we will look back and realize we made the same mistakes as our predecessors. shutting borders in a knee-jerk reaction instead of setting up systems of checks that protect our interests and values. we do not need to place a blanket ban that keeps 220 million people, men, women and children from entering the united states to protect our homeland. we do not need to alienate entire societies to stay safe, and we do not need to sacrifice our reputation as a nation, which is open and welcoming to protect our families. it is well within our reach to create a visa process which is more secure, which reflects american values, and which would make the department proud. again, this is a dissent memo circulating in the state department over president trump's policy on refugees and immigrants. and this is what donald trump's executive order does. it makes us less safe. it is wrong. another story. from a ""boston globe"" op-ed. matt gallagher, who is a veteran. the headline -- trump rejects the muslims who helped us." the bravest person i've ever known went by the nickname serge knight. he was as fistly imposing as the infamous music producer, but he was calm and big-hearted, with a smile as wide as a canyon. a sudanese muslim, serge served as my scout's platoon interpreter during the deployment to iraq in 2007 and 2008, and he went on every patrol and mission with us, no matter the circumstances. he had survived multiple roadside bomb attacks, had lost three young children to the bombings in the first gulf war, and yet still believed in america and what america represented to him and his family. although he doubted he would ever get to our country, he aspired for his children to do so. perhaps my grandchildren will go to school with your kids, he once told me with typical paternal charm. i'd like that very much. and i felt the same. we all did. he was one of us. president trump's recent executive order on muslim refugees and immigrants works to ensure that such a dream never comes true. muslim allies, including interpreters like serge in iraq and afghanistan have done more for the united states during the past 16 years of war than most americans will even think of doing in their entire lives, yet we're abandoning them in their hour of need, wrapping ourselves up in a big, billowing flag of fear and pretending it's safety. we're also abandoning middle east refugees fleeing the very terrorists we professed to combat, who have seen their homes and lives destroyed and now seek shelter on our shores, the same way that immigrants have for generations. this is a national disgrace. the president's executive order betrays american values and weakens our national security all at once. our country was founded as a haven. trump and his administration seem intent on turning it into a medieval fortress. in november, shortly after the election, i joined a nonpartisan group in washington, d.c., to advocate for muslim refugees and immigrants, veterans for american ideals, a project of human rights first. there was a great pall over the city and a deep sense of urgency for what awaited, even in republican offices. no one knew then what we all know now -- trump really did mean to do what he said on the campaign trail. time and again, democrats and republicans alike told us the united states already has in place the best and most thorough refugee and immigrant screening process on the planet. a prominent republican advisor assures us that trump's -- quote -- extreme vetting idea was just a ploy to rustle up votes. a national security official suggested that we should be more thankful that congress had saved the special immigrant visa program for interpreters and translators who served with the u.s. military and maintained that the amount of issued visas was sufficient despite the overflowing backlog of requests. a shouting match ensued. enraged veterans can have our own sort of diplomatic style. i look back at that week with both pride and despondency. on one hand, to see so many young american veterans standing up for the principles of our nation, often the very same principles that led them to enlist in the military to begin with was stirring. we tried, sometimes successfully and sometimes not, to convey to politicians the importance of remaining true to our muslim brothers and sisters in arms. we also tried to remind them of the secondary and tertiary effects of not honoring the bonds forged in combat. on the other hand, bearing witness to how easily dismissed entire lives and formative experiences can be by fellow citizens, let alone elected representatives, was rather dismaying. even in our era of yellow ribbon patriotism and star-spangled banner grandiosity, veterans' stories of heroic muslim translators and brave, dedicated local iraqis and afghans were sometimes met with hollow stares and empty platitudes in washington. what we were telling these officials defied their preconceived notions about vets and muslims and how vets of the taro wars were supposed to feel about muslims. what we were telling them was american security was dependent on opening our doors to as many vetted refugees and immigrants as possible, not barricading ourselves and saying we're not that america anymore. what we were telling them was what we knew. more than any other group of americans, what the hearts and souls of the middle eastern people were, and that those hearts and souls were so very much like our own. these are just some of the stories of what donald trump is doing to people here in america, to americans abroad and to people around the world. this executive order is illegal, it is unconstitutional, it is immoral, and it must be overturned by congress. i understand that under the rules, the majority can stop any senator after speaking for an hour postcloture, but there is a bit more i would like to say, and so therefore i ask unanimous consent to speak for up to ten additional minutes. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. warren: thank you, mr. president. i will stin with the story that was published this morning in "the boston globe." this is from a veteran who was writing of his own experiences. he says trump's executive order, which seeks to keep radical islamic terrorists out of the united states, will only embolden those very same people who already had a near-zero chance of gaining entry to our country to begin with. this order proves too many isis and al qaeda talking points are true about what the united states really is and will serve as an excellent recruiting tool for those organizations and others. this executive order isn't about national security. it's about fearmongering for ends we can only guess at. this shouldn't be a partisan issue. as my friend, phil clay, winner of the national book award and marine veteran pointed out last year, ronald reagan's city on a hill speech outlined an america for all the pilgrims from all the lost places who are hurtling through the darkness toward home. i get that people are scared, clay continued, but it's only during frightening times when you get to find out if your country really deserves to call itself the home of the brave. donald trump's zero-sum world view and flimsy understanding of the intricacies of modern war and terrorism threaten to undermine our republic. his policy on american refugees and immigrants must be checked and resisted by citizens of all political stripes, legislators of both major parties and the judicial courts. after 16 years of war, much of my generation of military veterans stands with middle eastern people. we sweated, labored and bled with and sometimes died for. it's going to be a fight, but it's one we're not going to lose. the legacy of america's past is at stake, as well as the soul of its future. matt gallagher is the author of the novel "young blood" and" the miami our, kaboom, embracing the suck in a savage little war." he is an iraq war veteran and a former u.s. army captain, and he wrote this morning in "the boston globe." we are here tonight because this country is in crisis. we are here tonight because it is a constitutional crisis, because it is a moral crisis. we are here tonight to stand up and ask the rest of the united states senate to overturn donald trump's executive order. we have that power. all we need is the courage, the courage to stand up and do what is right. this is why we came to the united states senate, to stand up and do what is right. i call on the rest of the senate to overturn donald trump's illegal, unconstitutional and immoral executive order. mr. president, i yield. the presiding officer: the senator from new jersey. mr. booker: mr. president, i rise today in gratitude for this opportunity to speak on the senate floor. i want to express a lot of gratitude towards the senator from massachusetts. she has been an eloquent advocate for the truth of our country. she has spoken here on this hallowed floor, but i have now also watched her speak in the streets, speak at airports, speak at rallies. she is one of those people who, like so many americans, literally millions of americans over these last few weeks, is saying with a chorus of conviction that they will not be silenced when the cause of our country is at stake. so i join with her tonight and some of my other colleagues in standing up to really speak from the heart. i think that this floor has seen many partisan speeches but this is not to me about republican or democrat. in fact, this is not a speech i ever imagined i would be giving in the united states senate. i never thought that i would be here today talking about something that quite honestly was unimaginable to me just months ago. this is a time that i could not have foreseen and i fear that my generation of americans may be perhaps should have known that moments like this are possible, that we who believe in the values of our nation, we who believe in the ideals enshrined in our we who believe in the values of our nation, ideals enshrined in our constitution like religious liberty, we should know every generation of americans has to prove worthy of these ideals and stay vigilant in their protection. and never think this could never happen. the ideals we enjoy were fought for and struggled for and often bled for and died for so we in our generation with the privileges we enjoy, the blessings of liberty we luxuriate in, we have an obligation to stay vigilant, to ensure moments like this never come, that we stand with conviction and speak out against them, workout against them, to resist any retrenchment of american values. what donald trump did in his executive action this past friday is in no uncertain terms a break with american policy. i believe it is a violation of the constitution, illegal, unconstitutional as well as immoral. more than this, specifically makes this nation less safe and not more so. it makes this nation less safe and not more so. the band was said, put forward in a climate of fear to appeal to people's fears, tell people that doing this executive order would make us safer but in essence is illogical when you look at the facts. not only should it be known it blocks immigration from 7 majority muslim countries, 7 countries, not a single perpetrator of terrorist attacks on american soil. until well before 9/11. before the 90s, nobody from these countries, and it is shutting down the refugee resettlement program. for four months to suspend the syrian refugee program indefinitely. and of any population in the united states. if you are trying to come into this country, student visas, waiver programs, so many ways to come into the process which takes between a year and three years, not just going through the vetting of the department of state but the department of defense, department of homeland security, the fbi, national counterterrorism center, numerous agencies up to three years i vetting you and let me tell you right now again, who go through this, history is showing, you have not seen folks who go through these programs pose a terrorist threat to american lives. so the very argument being used to push this ban is illogical and has no basis for any of the experiences we have had in this country. former chief counsel for us citizenship and immigration services regards that no competent terrorist would choose the us refugee process as a preferred strategy. subject yourself to the one to three years of vetting in multiple years, more than multiple entry. it is not a way for terrorists to gain access to this country at all. what we see is this terrorist bed is focused -- areas that do not produce safety but have collateral consequence of making us less safe. and the resettlement of syrian refugees in the us, the majority of these folks are women and children who are fleeing barrel bonds, chemical attacks, military attacks, fleeing starvation, fleeing the same violent extremism that we tried to fight against. syrian people face violence, terror and oppression, chosen to equate helpless refugees with those who are perpetrating terrorists and despite the fact that we have stringent, years long vetting program for iraqis and afghans who risk their lives to help americans, astonishingly, a special immigrant visa program and substitute it with nothing. what is the special immigrant program that they talk about? it is a program specifically there for iraqis and afghan ease who help america and their families in danger who put their necks out for us, put themselves out there for service men and servicewomen. and helped their service to us, in danger where they are. i am going to read a series of tweets from kurt johnson, former usaid administrator who wrote about these folks who put themselves on a line for americans, who are our allies and friends. this is what he wrote. i served with a man in falluja, lived alongside marines, and interpreters. over 100,000 of these iraqis risked their lives for us during the war. they bled for our country. you said before, talking about president trump, quote, we to admit those in our country who will support our country and love deeply our people. what kurt johnson writes is i want you to know, donald trump, about some of these people. one boy lost his legs dragging a wounded us sergeant out of the field of fire. he spent four years being vetted before coming here. one helped us build schools. when insurgents found out in october of 2006 they left a severed dog's head on his front step that said run. an interpreter for troops that you command, donald trump, died of a suicide bomb on march 14, 2008. mohammed was assassinated by terrorists who wanted to kill the trader who booby-trapped his house in january of 2008. had both of his legs amputated by an ied blast while working as an interpreter. in 2007. he died of a gunshot wound to the head helping our troops in july of 2007. i could do this all day, he wrote in his remarks. he says those that helped us were christians and muslims, atheists, you name it. these people in falluja and the surrounding areas where our allies. when they ran through gunfire to save our troops, they didn't think about such labels. these iraqis believed in america. they loved our country. they lost their country as a result of the choice they made to help us. your signature, donald trump, just bad. band them. i heard from many soldiers and marines, some of extremely high rank who believe this is a huge mistake, of senior military officers with extensive experience in iraq and afghanistan. one told me it was heinous and counterproductive. why is it counterproductive? we are conducting dangerous missions, relying on people to assist with our counterterrorism efforts, they are going to take that risk, put their lives on the line, be the subject of terrorism themselves, there should be a process that allows them with the proper vetting to get into this country. that has been american policy. even people who have been threatened and victimized and persecuted can't just walk into our country because high-ranking marines say so. they still go through vetting that takes years. that is the process. it is the process donald trump has stopped. a report noted radical jihad, terrorists intending to kill us were using this executive order as a victory, proof the united states is at war with islam. some people say the claim is hard to make, banning people of seven countries. look a little closer at the executive order. there are exceptions made for non-muslims in those countries. imagine this. we are the united states of america, this idea of freedom of religion, their is no religious test to vote, no religious test to have citizenship, no religious test to enjoy the richness of a nation that believes in religious liberty. but in one action by the president of the united states who claims to be control them is concerned about terrorism says i will stop people from entering, weight a minute, only the muslims. christians are welcome. if that is not a violation of our core principles of freedom of religion, religious tests to enter from these countries, that is an assault of all we proclaim in our country to be of our core values. this is not missed by our enemies. they are trying to say this isn't a war between america and isis, this is not a war between america and radical jihadists, they want as their propaganda tool for people to believe this is a war between the us and islam, between america and a religion. that is a lie. when donald trump takes actions like this that specifically target people because of their faith, playing into the hands of propagandists that seek to hurt us. national security experts from across the political spectrum, republicans and democrats have spoken out on this basis of how it will affect our security as a country. the former director of the cia, said this order, quote, in arguably has made us less safe. these are people who want to serve with our marines and the interpreters and stand up for america. what are they to think now, when america shut their doors and they watched others do this and they can't gain access to this country. what those allies of ours say standing up against terrorists, muslim leaders, not about islam, it is about the people who are conducting vicious terrorism which is a sin on a peaceful religion. what could they say now when we specifically targeted an executive order from our president, not as a country but people who pray a certain way in that country. we who think in the united states, this great nation born from the ideas of liberty and freedom, freedom to pray as you want, what are we to think? despite all the evidence to the contrary just two days after president trump instituted this band, he remarked this is going nicely. earlier today president trump's spokesman referred to those being unlawfully detained as just being, quote, temporarily inconvenienced. we know the reality of the situation is different for the families and individuals across the globe who are affected. many are permanent resident and green card holders. for whom an executive order amounted to slam in their face by the country that is supposed to represent the shining beacon on the planet earth of liberty and hope. hundreds of people of seven nationalities have been trapped at american airports, many were detained for hours on end without access to lawyers, handcuffed and interrogated, some immediately deported while more have been turned away on flight bound for the united states. people who followed all of the, went through extensive vetting, who upended their lives, doors slammed in their faces. this is not an inconvenience, i am sorry. this is a denial of process, a denial of procedure, denial of basic liberty and a violation of our principles. judges across the country began issuing stays within hours of this order becoming effective. as we saw in new york people like hameed, 65-year-old mother of a sergeant, 65-year-old mother of a sergeant in the 82nd airborne division of the united states army who traveled from iraq to see her son for the first time in five years. a mother of a sergeant in the 82nd airborne, someone who should be honored, lawfully entering the united states, and because of this order she was detained for 30 hours, denied a wheelchair and handcuffed before her release. saturday night, early into the mornings, i saw customers and border patrol official that dollars, left in washington dc and strove to virginia to go to dulles airport. i saw border patrol officials defied orders coming from a federal judge to at least permit all legal permanent residents in detention to access legal counsel. i hope the judge's order in my hand. because of the kindness of local law enforcement officer stationed in dallas i was able to shuttle to customs and border protection, was able to submit handwritten notes and questions to the officials who refused to meet with me but i did not get much of an explanation as to why they were defying a clear order from the federal judge, whether or not this was a case of bureaucratic confusion or message from the courts getting lost, federal law enforcement officers, for the department of homeland security, ignored and defied the orders of a federal judge, to me, this is more outrage, in a nation of three branches of government, with a clear role giving in order to the executive branch, the defiance of that order also was unconstitutional. access to counsel is a principle in our democracy, it is about fairness and due process. it seems to be a clear violation of constitutional norms and ideals. the judge believes so and that is why they ordered counsel to be provided. right now, we don't know who is detained in the wake of this executive order or how many were quietly deported once they came here that it in accordance with the law but they were deported upon their arrival in this country. i think congress deserves answers. i wrote to homeland security secretary john kelly to seek them. this treatment of any legal permanent resident or visitor to this country is wrong, it is un-american, undermines the truth of who we are and is patently unacceptable. this executive order has treated green hardcoded and immigrants of this nation as if they were criminals, torn families apart across the world and pulled the rug out from families who were preparing to begin a new life in the united states of america and this order has betrayed our closest allies, men and women who risked their lives to help american servicemembers deploy on hostile soil. by spending immigrant visa programs help iraqis and afghans who risk their lives to help american forces is unacceptable. the united states cannot turn it back on those who stepped up who needed most. just this morning i read about an iraqi man who risked his life to work with the american government in iraq after waiting seven years to gain entry through the laborious process of vetting on the visa program, he and his family got the okay and were ready to start new lives in america. on saturday he and his wife and two daughters have flown from iraq to istanbul and they were sitting in their seats ready to take off where they were removed by security officials. foreign policy magazine, through tears. why don't they want us in america. american service members and veterans joining a growing chorus against the decision, but -- take zachary, a former marine infantry officer who wrote about the iraqis he worked with who risked everything to help the united states, told the story of one man, frank, who served as an interpreter for his marine corps unit, and in doing so had taken a bullet in his leg. frank remained in iraq since then. zachary wrote, quote, he was still living in baghdad with daily fears for his and his family's safety after six years of vetting including what seemed like countless interviews and background checks by various government agencies, finally been cleared to come to the united states with his pregnant wife and 18-month-old son. zachary went on to write my wife and i began to prepare our guest room for their arrival but now thanks to the new executive order of president trump, frank is no longer welcome. this is an american military man preparing to have these folks put their lives on the line for him, stay in his home. this special visa program is why people like mohammed -- who i am proud to call a new jersey resident, one of my constituents, were able to come to this country and i would like to share a little bit about this family. mohammed was finishing high school in iraq in 2003 when the americans arrived. as an english speaker, mohammed began helping the american station near his neighborhood work for free as a neighborhood translator. when the unit -- she had become friends with, left, he decided to apply for work as an official interpreter with the united states army but by 2004 he had been sent to falluja to work with that help protect american military fighting there. because of his work with the american military, receiving hundreds of death notes, threatening not just his life but the life of his mother and his family. he returned to baghdad where he worked to fight these threats is a contract with an american company until one day he was targeted and almost assassinated in his car. with the death threats and assassination attempts that he had to get out of the country. after moving to australia his sister informed him about the special visa program so he applied. two years later he was able to join his family in the united states. in a call to my office earlier today have -- he wanted to make it clear he arrived on the united states on july 3rd and by august 10th he had darted his job. he remarked to my team that he couldn't understand why anyone would think he was coming to america because it was easy or because he wanted something. he spent most of his savings trying to get to america and had never taken any benefits since arriving here. mohammed met his wife in new jersey and lives in our state, and working to obtain citizenship. he shared this executive order made him more sad scared and it didn't make sense to ban regular hard-working people who are also afraid of terrorists, persecuted by terrorists, almost killed by terrorists who had done so much to help our country. we ran away from these people, he said. i paid all the money i had to leave. mohammed's brother is a proud american citizen, father of two and resident of scotch plains, new jersey, he and his wife worked as farm assistance but when the war began, he knew he needed to get involved so he worked as a translator and reporter with the los angeles times during the war in iraq providing support and key insight to american media and the american public. he and his wife came to the united states in 2008 through the special visa program. and worked his way through school, and a pharmacy technician they have their license. and in cranford, new jersey a homeowner and a proud father of two girls. this precious nation, he celebrates our values, he is a glowing testimony to the truth of who we are. his success is our success. security and safety and life in new jersey. give lester to the greatness of america. yesterday he remarked this executive order was embarrassing and hurtful. it was clear muslims were being targeted and he couldn't understand why those who were heavily vetted like his family posed such a threat. he and his family are heavily involved in their community in scotch plains and they make sure to offer support to those families similar to theirs who come from iraq who are refugees. they are not just basking and luxuriating in their good fortune to become american citizens, they are honoring one of the great traditions of our country which is service. at the end of the call, he didn't think this would happen in any other country. he was about to say this kind of religiously targeted band wouldn't happen anywhere else and might have been right. this kind of executive order from a leader in any other country happened against any group of people you would never see the kind of resistance and action of so many standing up for them. even in one of the darkest moments in recent history, this man, this patriot, this person who served our nation's interests and continues to volunteer in service to this day could have been given reason to be angry, upset and cynical. what is beautiful about this conversation is he hasn't given up faith. he still believes in the american people. the beautiful thing about the conversations my staff had with this new jersey resident who once were serving our nation in theaters of violence and terrorism, standing for military, press, victimized by -- shot at, assassination, these families in america witnessing executive order are saddened and embarrassed by it but not giving up on their faith in america. that is our story. i stand here today, dare i say all of the senate stand here today because of this tradition of our country that even in the past when we had dark chapters from our past, others in position of power violated our values, the faith and activism into engagement of american people remained. i dare say this. we are the oldest constitutional democracy on the planet earth. the genius of our founders who put ideals heralded for centuries on the planet earth, new a constitutional democracy, literally would study our constitution and model their nation after elements of our constitution. i am sad to tell you some of those countries, democracies, have failed. they have. they put forth the same principles and ideals, but yet the countries's democracies have been overthrown, have seen despots who destroyed the spirit of those ideals. why has america persisted? it is not just because of the documents that are sacred and so special in the course of human events, but what makes documents true and real, those sentiments are not just written on parchment. every generation has had them on their hearts. and has said no matter what i may be experiencing in this country i am going to dedicate myself to the principles and ideals because as great as our founders were, when they founded this country in liberty and justice and equality under the law, it is about everyone. it didn't apply to women. native americans were referred to as savages. african americans were fractions of human beings but yet the faith of the people in every generation works to expand the concept of liberty and freedom. day made the constitution more real. they made our union more perfect, made our country's truth for more people. it is why great poets like langston hughes wrote america never was america to be. that is the call to citizenry of this country. there have been dark days in our past, every generation of americans despite dark actions of people understand the truth the power of the people is greater then the people in power and if we never lose faith in the ideals of this nation, if we keep standing and sacrificing and struggling, every generation can advance the ideals that make us more free and more real for more people. we saw another american leader shrink the ideals of this country, try to pull us backwards to times past when we turned our back on all -- on people fleeing persecution. what donald trump did, tried to pull back on ideals inscribed on that great statue that sits next to new jersey, the mother of exiles who says in poetry among other things, give us, a demand, give us your tired, your hungry, your poor, your huddled passes, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore, it is a demand to the world that we take those that are oppressed, take those that are being violated, we will take those that are victimized. the president turns his back on those ideals. doctor lauren feldman writes to me about chapters of dark pasts. she writes today is holocaust remembrance day, i am a jew. my relatives were unable to find refuge in our country and were motored by the nazis - murdered by the nazis. my grandmother lost her beloved aunt, and uncle and four young cousins that she had never met. had we as a country done the right thing and welcomed these refugees fleeing the nazis, millions could have joined their family members in the safety and we could have been proud of our country instead of ashamed -- >> you can find the rest of the speech online at c-span.org. we leave it now to take you to the council for higher education accreditation where north carolina representative bridget newpox is speaking about education policy. >> for setting the stage and indicating what