WASHINGTON, March 6 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) released the following statement Monday after President Donald Trump signed a new executive order blocking immigration from six majority-Muslim countries and suspending admittance of all refugees:

“Let’s call it what it is. This ban is a racist and anti-Islamic attempt to divide us up. A president who respected our traditions of religious freedom would not have resorted to hateful, anti-Islamic rhetoric to justify a ban on travel from six mostly Muslim countries. Even the Department of Homeland Security has said that citizenship is not a factor in terrorist threats. This isn’t about keeping America safe. A president responsible for keeping our citizens safe would not hand over ideological ammunition to terrorists seeking new recruits to kill Americans.”