Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Tim Scott, R-S.C., released a joint statement on Sunday expressing their unease with President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration, Politico reports.
"We are uneasy about the potential impact of these measures on our military and our diplomatic personnel abroad, as well as those who put their lives on the line to work with us," the pair wrote about Trump's order denying immigrants from a number of countries where the majority are Muslim. "We are both committed to doing what we must to keep America safe. We are equally committed to the defense of religious liberty and our tradition of providing refuge to those fleeing persecution."
The senators cite concerns over the effects the ban will have on the economy, the military, and "diplomatic personnel abroad," and asked for clarification on "the changes to the Visa Waiver program, which is critical to the economies of our respective states."
Rubio and Scott aren't the only Republicans in opposition to Trump's order. Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina also released a joint statement Sunday saying the order was not "properly vetted," and announcing that they "fear this executive order will become a self-inflicted wound in the fight against terrorism," according to The Hill.
"This vetting proposal itself needed more vetting," Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee said in a statement to NBC affiliate WRCB-TV in Chattanooga. "More scrutiny of those traveling from war-torn countries to the United States is wise. But this broad and confusing order seems to ban legal, permanent residents with ‘green cards' ... And while not explicitly a religious test, it comes close to one which is inconsistent with our American character."
Sen. Susan Collins of Maine called Trump's order "overly broad" and that "implementing it will be immediately problematic," according to the Sun Journal.
"Religious tests serve no useful purpose in the immigration process and run contrary to our American values," she added.