Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton broke her silence on Twitter late Saturday to condemn President Donald Trump's immigration executive order and to express her support for the protests taking place at airports nationwide.
"I stand with the people gathered across the country tonight defending our values & our Constitution," Clinton tweeted. "This is not who we are."
The tweet came as thousands were protesting at international airports across the country on Saturday after news broke early in the weekend that Trump's executive order caused refugees to be detained at U.S. airports and other visa holders who permanently live in the U.S. to be denied entry back into the country.
Trump's executive order, signed Friday, halts the U.S. refugee resettlement program for a minimum of 120 days until the nation's vetting process can be improved. The executive order also bars people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. for 90 days. Those countries are: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia and Libya.
Lawmakers, including those in Trump's own party, have denounced the executive order. Republican Sen. Ben Sasse (Neb.) labeled it too "broad," while Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) warned that Trump was using the same executive overreach that former President Barack Obama used.
Still, a federal judge issued a temporary stay late Saturday ordering that any refugee with a valid U.S. visa who made it to official American soil will be able to stay and won't be deported.
Clinton has been reletively quiet on social media since losing to Trump in the presidential election late last year. Since early November, Clinton has only tweeted for holidays, acknowledgement of her supporters, some get-well wishes for former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, in addition to support for last weekend's Women's March on Washington.
Chris Enloe
Staff Writer
