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Muslims in Northeast Wisconsin react to refugee ban

Posted at 7:08 PM, Jan 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-28 21:31:53-05

Americans across the country reacted strongly Saturday to President Trump's executive order making changes to refugee policies.

Because it affects primarily Muslim-majority countries, the order has left many Muslim Americans on edge. 

In Northeast Wisconsin, Mohammad Rashid, the former president of the Fox Valley Islamic Society, said he's concerned for himself, his children, and his community.

"This executive order is putting our lives in danger," Rashid said. 

The order banned any citizen from Iran, Iraq, Syria Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia from entering the United States for 90 days. It also banned Syrian refugees indefinitely, and suspended the U.S. refugee program for four months so the Trump administration can look at more extreme ways of vetting refugees. 

The details do not sit well with Rashid.

"The history of America has always been to open the door to those who are desperate and destitute," he said. "Now with this executive order, they're shutting the door on people who are extremely vulnerable."

Political experts say this is a political statement that could cause more harm than good.

"It sends a signal to the world and to Muslim nations that we are not friendly to Muslims as a religion, that we are not friendly to certain countries," said Michael Kraft, professor emeritus of political science at UW-Green Bay.

However, the executive order is receiving support from some Republicans.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said Friday in a statement in part, "President Trump is right to make sure we are doing everything possible to know exactly who is entering our country."

Nonetheless, some argue America's refugee vetting process is already extensive.

"It takes upwards of two years for a refugee family or an individual to make it through that process, I don't know how much more extreme you can get than that," said Kraft.

The executive order leaving some Muslim Americans wondering what will happen next.