There’s been a lot of publicity surrounding President-elect Trump’s statements during the election supporting the establishment of a Muslim database.
Trump, as he has with many of his campaign promises, has since backpedaled and denied he wants to track anyone based on their religion. That statement, however, doesn’t rule out Muslim registration.
The Sacramento Bee reports the idea would be similar to one implemented during the presidency of George W Bush after 9/11 for immigrants from 24 Muslim-majority countries and North Korea..
13,000 mostly Muslim immigrants were deported under the program which President Obama suspended in 2011
The program no longer exists, but there are calls now from the American Civil Liberties Union for President Obama to totally dismantle it to make it more difficult for Trump to revive it.
“President Obama discontinued NSEERS in 2011 but left the regulatory framework on the books, ready to be reactivated at any time,” the ACLU said in a statement. “If the Obama administration rescinds the regulation now, that will terminate the program, leaving nothing for the next administration to reactivate.”
ADDITIONAL COVERAGE: Before Trump, There Was a Muslim Registry. It Caught No Terrorist
Sacramento Bee: President Obama Urged to Dismantle Bush Era Muslim Registry
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