Religions for Peace (RfP) expresses its sorrow and moral opposition to the United States Supreme Court ruling to uphold the U.S. President’s ban on travel from nations with large Muslim populations.

RfP’s position is respectful of each nation’s principled responsibility to have and enforce just immigration, travel and national security laws that fully respect human rights.

RfP’s sorrow and moral opposition is due to the fact that the President’s ban upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court is inextricably related to the Islamic identity of the states affected. The ban thus is punitive to the millions of good peoples in these states. In addition, the ban can further animate a global climate of social hostility fueled by intolerance and fear of the “other,” including, in this case fear of Muslims. This social hostility threatens human dignity, good governance and shared well-being.

In contrast to the ban, RfP calls all people of faith to “welcome the other.” Each of our diverse faith traditions calls for profound active solidarity with, and empathy for, the “other“ rooted in a spirit of unity, as a deeply held and widely shared value among our religious communities.

RfP recognizes that “welcoming the other” invites every person into the co-building, co-nurturing and co-stewarding of our shared well-being.