Two Republicans from Pennsylvania, Brian Fitzpatrick and Charlie Dent, criticize President Trump's executive order to ban refugees from war-torn countries in the Middle East and suspending visa from seven countries. Prior to their statements, two Republican senators - John McCain and Lindsey Graham - denounced the executive order in a joint statement issued Sunday.
Fitzpatrick said President Trump missed the mark on the terrorism issue entirely, according to a report from Philly.com. He said he spent more than 10 years as a supervisory special agent on counter-terrorism at FBI to understand the global terrorism.
"Terrorism inspired by radicalism and hate is global in scope," the rookie representative from Bucks County said. "As such, requires a comprehensive response, not a purely regional focus."
Meanwhile, Dent said that President Trump's policy to protect American citizens should also protect the innocent and vulnerable people abroad. Dent is a representative from Allentown district which had many Syrian populations. He said that he had a report that relatives from Christian Syrian in his district who had valid visas and not refugees were detained at Philadelphia International Airport, and may be deported back to Syria.
Prior to their objection, GOP senators McCain and Graham issued a joint statement on Sunday to criticize President Trump's executive order. They said President Trump issued the order harshly without thorough consultation with the Departments of State, Justice, Defense, and Homeland Security.
The executive order also barred refugees from war-torn Syria and visas from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, and Yemen. According to New York Times, following the executive order, thousands of people protested the executive order. They stormed the airport to protest the order.
Watch the report from TIME regarding the protest from people who protested the President Trump order at the JFK International Airport in New York below:
