A Muslim ban is not constitutional

This appeared in the Hackensack, N.J. Record:

On Thursday, a federal appeals court in Virginia handed U.S. President Donald Trump another defeat in his efforts to block immigrants from six nations — Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen — from entering the United States. It is likely to go to the U.S. Supreme Court next. The president would be wiser to recognize he cannot impose a religious-based ban.

And whether he wants to or not — he cannot take back what he repeatedly said on the campaign trail.

Trump surrogates have tried to backpedal much of what candidate Trump said as simply rhetoric, comments made off the cuff. But candidate Trump was resolute about wanting a complete ban on Muslims while campaigning. He has changed his tune now, but judges still cannot unhear what was said.

It will be hard to dispel the belief that the current ban is not religious based when Trump’s words support the theory that a ban affecting six Muslim-majority nations is a Muslim ban. It is also hard to dismiss the fact that nationals from these six nations are not connected to terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.

Trump has a responsibility to keep America safe. He also has one to keep America American.