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Muslim community speaks out about possible executive order

Posted at 11:24 PM, Jan 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-27 07:04:12-05
President Trump has taken executive action to crack down on immigration and build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border--both of which could affect immigrants seeking a better life. He also talked about a blanket ban on immigration from Muslim heavy countries like Iran, Syria and Iraq.
 
As he plans to make immigration tougher from predominantly Islamic countries, those who worship Baltimore-area mosques say there's two sides to every story.
 
"Some of our family members and and members and friends of our members are going to be caught up in the ban," said Abdul Latif Bennett of the Baltimore Ahmadiyya Muslim community. 
 
That ban hasn't been clearly outlined, nor officially called a ban, but still, those in the Muslim community worry. 
 
"It makes me very sad because I feel for my Muslim brothers and sisters overseas and to be grouped in with a terrorist organization," said Hispanic Muslim, Anisah Gonzalez. 
 
 
She's worried her president is toying with what she calls divisiveness.
 
"The fact that we're not getting support from the United States and rather we're all being put together in one group it's very concerning and its very saddening," Gonzalez said.
 

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She gathered with members of CAIR, an Islamic rights organization and CASA Maryland, a group dedicated to immigrant rights at the "Together We Rise" rally Thursday.
 
"So I'm a Latina and a Muslim so I'm a minority group and a woman so I have three strikes," Gonzalez said.
 
The vigil was held in response to executive orders signed by president trump this week  focusing on immigrants, Muslims and refugees. 
 
 
"We recognize that the president is within his rights and as Muslims we obey the law of the land and so we're just urging calm," Bennett said.
 
Those in the Muslim community say there's a better way to protect the country. 
 
"We think that vetting is probably the best remedy even the extreme vetting that he promised during the campaign we recognize that as the proper course of action," Bennett said.
 
President Trump has been promising a crackdown on immigration since the campaign trail. This week, talk of an executive order limiting immigration from  Muslim-predominant countries was discussed.  
 
"Consider the person on its merits not because of his race not because of what he looks like or the country he comes from  but rather consider on a person by person basis," Bennett said.
 

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