The Islamic Center of New Mexico held a press conference Friday in reaction to President Donald Trump’s immigration and refugee restriction, calling them xenophobic.
“President Trump’s recent and anticipated executive orders send a clear and unequivocal signal,” said Abbas Akhil, President of the Islamic Center. “That the bigoted and hateful rhetoric uttered during the presidential campaign has essentially transformed into devastating and very divisive policies.”
Akhil said the Trump administration’s actions reflect a clear Islamophobic sentiment, one which he called “unprecedented,” citing policies that ban immigrants and refugees solely on the basis of religion.
“A safe and strong America is an America that stands by its core values and principles, the very core values that this country was built on, the very values that have made us a great nation,” Akhil said. “We don’t turn our back on people fleeing political turmoil or religious persecution or just want to come here to live the American Dream, we should embrace that.”
Akhil said he was reminded of a “very dark chapter” during WWII, where America turned its back on Jewish refugees, “that were doing nothing other than fleeing gas chambers,” and “political persecution” in the name of national security.
“We must stand united, and speak with one voice and say, ‘No,’” he said, “no to a Trump agenda which aims to criminalize all immigrants, asylum-seekers, refugees and persons of Arab ancestry.”
Akhil said Islam — which many American Muslims have said is misunderstood — teaches love, respect and tolerance.
Kathryn Turnipseed, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, called the executive orders by Trump banning entry to people from several Muslim majority nations, and cutting off admittance of refugees, is part of a campaign to make “discrimination and xenophobia official policy in the United States.”
“We do not judge a person by the color of their skin or the God they pray to or the nation they were born in,” she said. “Everyone deserves to be treated fairly under the law. The blatant discrimination we see coming from this administration has no place in a free and just society.”
Turnipseed called upon all New Mexicans to “stand up to bigotry and discrimination, in our community and in our nation.”
Kay Huggins, a local pastor at Second Presbyterian Church said it is a priority of all lead pastors with New Mexico to reach out to “our Muslim brothers and sisters and stand with them in solidarity,” offering a hand in support that transcends differences in beliefs.
“I want you to know that the church is available for sanctuary, for organizing, for support and for solidarity,” Huggins said.
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Suki Halevi, New Mexico regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, said the ADL has “strongly condemned” Trump’s expected executive order on immigration and refugee entry into the U.S.
“It is particularly shocking in this historical context that this order — that may be issued today, even as we speak — threatens to slam America’s door on refugees again today,” Halevi said. “Today, on international Holocaust Remembrance Day.”
Halevi said citizens of New Mexico have something to lose and something to defend.
“Do not let anyone take away from us what we have accomplished here in the state,” she said, “where immigrant communities are living together.”
Mayoral candidate Susan Wheeler-Deichsel said she cannot see Albuquerque or the state of New Mexico going the way that Trump “has been suggesting that we do in this country.”
“I can guarantee you that there isn’t a single candidate that will be running for the mayor of this city that would side with our new president,” she said.
Mary Steele, a UNM alumna, said although she is Roman Catholic, she knows that the Islamic community are “brothers and sisters.”
“I must stand in solidarity with them,” she said.
Steele said she hopes that, through solidarity, people can begin to overlook our differences.
“Remember every day, every time we meet each other, that we are all brothers and sisters,” she said, “we have different names for God but we all want the same things and that, working together, we can have them.”
Matthew Reisen is the news editor at the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @MReisen88.
