Florida Sen. Marco Rubio joined South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott in voicing their concern for President Donald Trump’s recent executive order banning travel from certain Muslim-majority nations, according to a Monday report from Politico.
Rubio opposed Trump during the 2016 Republican presidential primary, and again during the U.S. Senate hearing to confirm Trump’s Secretary of State appointee Rex Tillerson, although Rubio voted to confirm in the end.
“We are uneasy about the potential impact of these measures on our military and our diplomatic personnel abroad, as well as those who put their lives on the line to work with us,” Rubio and Scott wrote in a joint letter.
“We are both committed to doing what we must to keep America safe. We are equally committed to the defense of religious liberty and our tradition of providing refuge to those fleeing persecution.”
Rubio’s parents came to the U.S. from Cuba in 1956, a fact which may explain why Rubio joined the effort to pass immigration reform, an action viewed by fellow Republicans (including Trump) as a plan for open borders. The proposed “amnesty” would have allowed illegal immigrants to stay in the country, as long as certain parameters were met.
Rubio decided to participate in the letter with Scott after spending nearly a full day speaking with Trump officials, according to Politico.
The pair were careful to acknowledge that there is a widespread misinformation campaign about the ban, but protested the way that the order was written and approved.
“It is clear to us that some of what is being said and reported about the scope and implications of these measures is misleading,” the letter continues. “However, it is also clear that the manner in which these measures were crafted and implemented have greatly contributed to the confusion, anxiety and uncertainty of the last few days.”
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