James Saunders
Guest Reporter
Donald Trump could bring back his so-called "Muslim ban" if elected President again, his immigration chief has vowed.
In new plans drawn up by top Trump aide Stephen Miller, a second presidency could see a large-scale migration crackdown - including on legal entry to the US, the Wall Street Journal reported.
In preparation for a Trump comeback, executive orders, regulations and memos are understood to have already been drawn up - with an eye on a swift signing by a future homeland security secretary.
Miller has repeatedly called for a return for the ban - on social media earlier this year, the Trump ally made his views particularly clear.
Miller had written: "The immigration discussion cannot simply be cleaved into legal/illegal."
"Refugee resettlement is 'legal'. Chain migration is 'legal'. Diversity lottery is 'legal'. Islamist green card migration is 'legal'. And it's why we need the Trump travel ban back now," he added.
But the plans come in the face of a direct Trump attempt to court the Muslim vote - with anger brewing on the US Left over Israel-Palestine, his team appears to be trying to nab single-issue voters away from the Democrats, seen as partially responsible for upholding the conflict in Gaza.
Just days ago, on the campaign trail in the crucial swing state Michigan, Trump brought several Muslim leaders onstage as he positioned himself as the "peace" candidate.
LATEST AS DONALD TRUMP PUSHES FOR THE WHITE HOUSE:
One of those leaders, Imam Belal Alzuhairi, said of Trump: "We, as Muslims, stand with President Trump because he promises peace... He promises peace, not war.
"We are supporting Donald Trump because he promised to end war in the Middle East and Ukraine."
In 2017, Trump issued a 90-day executive order banning entry for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, with Syrians banned indefinitely and refugees blocked for four months. Joe Biden revoked the orders in 2021.
But, speaking to CNN, Muslim advocacy group CEO Wa'el Alzayat said Arab-American leaders have pushed Trump's Democratic rival Kamala Harris "to show distance between how she would govern on this matter [Israel-Palestine] with the current administration policies, which we don't agree with."
And the Trump campaign's national press secretary Karoline Leavitt has rebuked the claims in response to the Wall Street Journal report.
Leavitt said: "President Trump has repeatedly said that he supports legal immigration and wants as many people to come into the country... As long as they come legally."
While Trump himself said on Saturday: "Jews, Catholics, evangelicals, Mormons, Muslims are joining our cause in larger numbers than ever before - and now the most wonderful thing is happening."
Find Out More...
In new plans drawn up by top Trump aide Stephen Miller, a second presidency could see a large-scale migration crackdown - including on legal entry to the US, the Wall Street Journal reported.
In preparation for a Trump comeback, executive orders, regulations and memos are understood to have already been drawn up - with an eye on a swift signing by a future homeland security secretary.
Miller has repeatedly called for a return for the ban - on social media earlier this year, the Trump ally made his views particularly clear.
Miller had written: "The immigration discussion cannot simply be cleaved into legal/illegal."
"Refugee resettlement is 'legal'. Chain migration is 'legal'. Diversity lottery is 'legal'. Islamist green card migration is 'legal'. And it's why we need the Trump travel ban back now," he added.
But the plans come in the face of a direct Trump attempt to court the Muslim vote - with anger brewing on the US Left over Israel-Palestine, his team appears to be trying to nab single-issue voters away from the Democrats, seen as partially responsible for upholding the conflict in Gaza.
Just days ago, on the campaign trail in the crucial swing state Michigan, Trump brought several Muslim leaders onstage as he positioned himself as the "peace" candidate.
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One of those leaders, Imam Belal Alzuhairi, said of Trump: "We, as Muslims, stand with President Trump because he promises peace... He promises peace, not war.
"We are supporting Donald Trump because he promised to end war in the Middle East and Ukraine."
In 2017, Trump issued a 90-day executive order banning entry for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, with Syrians banned indefinitely and refugees blocked for four months. Joe Biden revoked the orders in 2021.
But, speaking to CNN, Muslim advocacy group CEO Wa'el Alzayat said Arab-American leaders have pushed Trump's Democratic rival Kamala Harris "to show distance between how she would govern on this matter [Israel-Palestine] with the current administration policies, which we don't agree with."
And the Trump campaign's national press secretary Karoline Leavitt has rebuked the claims in response to the Wall Street Journal report.
Leavitt said: "President Trump has repeatedly said that he supports legal immigration and wants as many people to come into the country... As long as they come legally."
While Trump himself said on Saturday: "Jews, Catholics, evangelicals, Mormons, Muslims are joining our cause in larger numbers than ever before - and now the most wonderful thing is happening."
Find Out More...