Why Trump's Travel Ban Could be Putting Christians in Danger
The Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols told BBC Radio he thinks President Trump's temporary immigration ban pushes the "false notion" of conflict between Christians and Muslims in the Middle East.
"It increases the risk faced by Christian communities in the Middle East because it implicitly backs a false notion that this is a conflict between Christians and Muslims, and it increases the image of Christianity as a Western phenomenon," he said.
Even more, he says the ban wouldn't make the United States more secure either.
"I don't think it increases security at all frankly because I just think it is likely to increase the determination of terrorists to make US objects a target," he said. "Safety in the long run is not secured by fear. It's secured by improving relationships. It's secured by getting to know people around you and in that sense opening up things and not shutting them down.
His comments come after a Seattle federal appeals court temporarily suspended the ban, leaving many unsure of what the future may bring. The suspension allows people who were previously banned get more time to reach the United States.
Vice President Mike Pence says the Trump administration will fight to reinstate the ban.
"President Trump has made it clear that our administration is going to put the safety and security of the American people first, and the executive order that he put into effect was legal," he insisted. "It was appropriate and our administration is going to be using all legal means at our disposal."
