President Trump's revised executive order makes several changes to the earlier version that was rejected by the courts. It takes Iraq off the list, but some Muslims in Connecticut said it has the same underlying theme.
"To me, it seems like it's pretty much the same exact travel ban, minus one country," said Wajid Danish Ahmed, director of Connecticut’s Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
"National security is paramount, and I believe that it's certainly something that we need to focus on," he said. "But this new executive order has the same flaws. It incites fear and religious discrimination, and we shouldn’t be pointing out and singling out a specific religion or ethnicity. Unless this administration changes that tone, I think it's pretty much the same travel ban as we had earlier."
The newest executive order was announced Monday, the same day that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community received The Spirit of Meriden award for positive contributions to the city.
Back in 2015, just after the Paris terror attacks, their Meriden mosque was the target of a shooting by a neighbor. No one was hurt.
Humbled to accept the award on behalf of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. We will continue to help the people of Meriden & State. @TrueIslamUSA pic.twitter.com/WrpnVrk2iV
— CTMuslims4Peace (@CTMuslims4Peace) March 7, 2017
After the shooter pleaded guilty to a hate crime, he was invited into the mosque where he apologized, and was told by members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Commuity that he was forgiven.