Sen. Marco Rubio. | AP Photo/Zach Gibson Rubio, Scott say they’re ‘uneasy’ with Trump’s immigration order

MIAMI — U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Tim Scott issued a joint statement Sunday night saying they were “uneasy” and have some “concerns” with President Trump’s executive order temporarily banning Syrian refugees and immigrants from some Muslim-majority countries.

The two Republicans, who made their statement after a handful of fellow GOP colleagues also voiced criticisms, said they had “unanswered questions” about the order but didn’t list specifics.


But, the Florida and South Carolina senators said, they needed to know more about changes to a federal visa waiver program, connected to the executive order, because it’s “critical to the economies of our respective states.” They criticized reporting about Trump’s order, the slapdash way it was executed and fretted about the foreign-policy implications.

“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 two wrote. “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.”

For Rubio, Trump’s executive order struck at the core of his political identity. The son of Cuban immigrants made central to his autobiography, “American Son,” in 2012 — only to see his political fortunes in the GOP take a hit when he joined the failed effort to pass comprehensive immigration reform in Congress the following year.

As a presidential candidate, Rubio was assailed by Trump and others who accused him of supporting “amnesty” for illegal immigrants. Rubio, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, accused Trump of being “an erratic individual” with a dangerous foreign-policy mindset. After dropping out of the presidential race, Rubio ran for reelection last year and promised to be a check on Trump. But, except for pointedly questioning Trump’s Secretary of State pick, Rubio has held his tongue publicly — even as those who know him well say that he’s unhappy with Trump’s foreign policy.

Rubio’s decision to publicly voice even this mild criticism came after he spent more than a day talking to Trump administration officials, experts and colleagues about the meaning and impact of the order.

“This is exactly what Marco worried about,” one Republican familiar with Rubio’s thinking said. “But Trump leads our party. And, really, there’s only so much he can do.”

Rubio’s joint statement with Scott, which falls short of some of the sharper criticisms from Senate colleagues, came after hours on the phone with fellow Republicans, Trump administration officials and experts.

The two senators also swiped at unnamed opponents and pundits because, they said, “it is clear to us that some of what is being said and reported about the scope and implications of these measures is misleading. However, it is also clear that the manner in which these measures were crafted and implemented have greatly contributed to the confusion, anxiety and uncertainty of the last few days.”

The two church-going senators also quoted Matthew 25:45: “Like so many Americans, we are both guided by our belief that when we stand before our Creator to face judgment, He will say that ‘to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me,” they wrote. “That is why we intend to do all we can to both keep America safe, and keep America special.”

Here’s the full statement:

U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Tim Scott (R-SC) issued the following joint statement regarding the President's executive order:

"After reviewing the recent Executive Orders, it is clear to us that some of what is being said and reported about the scope and implications of these measures is misleading. However, it is also clear that the manner in which these measures were crafted and implemented have greatly contributed to the confusion, anxiety and uncertainty of the last few days.

We generally support additional vetting for many of those entering our country from nations where the United States has identified there are serious concerns regarding terrorist activities and planning. But given the broad scope and nature of these policy changes, we have some unanswered questions and concerns.

We are seeking clarity on the changes to the Visa Waiver program, which is critical to the economies of our respective states.

And 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.

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. Like so many Americans, we are both guided by our belief that when we stand before our Creator to face judgment, He will say that “to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me."

That is why we intend to do all we can to both keep America safe, and keep America special."