Trump Calls For 'Complete And Total Ban' On Muslims Entering U.S.
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Donald Trump called for a "complete and total ban" on Muslims entering the United States, five days after Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik, a Muslim couple the FBI said was radicalized for some time, gunned down 14 people in San Bernardino, California.
The proposed ban would stand "until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on,'' the GOP presidential candidate's campaign said in a statement.
The statement added that Trump's proposal comes in response to the level of hatred among "large segments of the Muslim population'' toward Americans.
"Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life,'' Trump said in the statement.
He added on Twitter: "Just put out a very important policy statement on the extraordinary influx of hatred & danger coming into our country. We must be vigilant!''
"Without looking at the various polling data, it is obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension. Where this hatred comes from and why we will have to determine. Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life. If I win the election for President, we are going to Make America Great Again," Trump said in a statement.
Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said Trump's proposed ban would apply to "everybody," including Muslims seeking immigration visas as well as tourists seeking to enter the country.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) -- the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, condemned Trump's comments.
Other politicians lashed back at Trump on Twitter, CBS2's Weijia Jiang reported.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie called Trump's proposal "ridiculous" on Twitter, and Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton said "this is reprehensible, prejudiced, and divisive."
Declaring war on Islam or demonizing Muslim Americans is not only counter to our values—it plays right into the hands of terrorists.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) December 8, 2015
Bernie Sanders wrote: "we are weak when we allow racism and xenophobia to divide us."
Now, @realDonaldTrump and others want us to hate all Muslims.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) December 7, 2015
Trump's comments came hours after Mayor Bill de Blasio said Trump is falling into ISIS' playbook by being divisive.
De Blasio had strong words against Trump's latest comments, 1010 WINS' Al Jones reported.
"Literally be suggesting a religious test on who gets to come into the country," de Blasio said. "That is a dangerous, dangerous statement."
"Against our American values -- I don't even know what to say at this point," de Blasio said. "It's against everything this country is based on."
"So it's time to say that, in fact, what Donald Trump is doing in one way or another is doing the bidding of our enemies, because we – our enemies, in particular ISIS, wants to see the American people divided, for example, against the Muslim-American community," de Blasio said. "That's the ISIS game plan, and what Trump is saying is falling right into that game plan."
Trump called de Blasio the worst mayor in the United States. "I hate watching what is happening with the dirty streets, the homeless and crime! Disgrace."
In a rare Oval Office address Sunday night, President Obama implored Americans to not turn against Muslims at home, saying the Islamic State was driven by a desire to spark a war between the West and Islam.
He also called on the American Muslim community to serve as a partner in the fight against radical Islam.
The spread of radical Islam, he said, is "a real problem that Muslims most confront without excuse."
Obama said Muslims can send credible, effective counter messages and undermine jihadist propaganda.
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