Hartford, CT – To date, Connecticut Republicans have surrendered the mantle of leadership and left it to Connecticut GOP Chairman JR Romano to address the widely panned executive actions that have caused chaos through the immigration system, tarnished our relationships with international partners, hampered our national security, and threatened the values we hold dear as welcoming and tolerant society.

Here is what US Senators with experience on homeland security and foreign relations on both sides of the aisle have said:

US Senator Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) (CT Mirror, 1/30/2017)

“President Trump’s irresponsible and shameful executive order makes America less safe, and Congress needs to block its implementation immediately. Trump has handed ISIS a recruitment gift that ultimately will get Americans killed”

US Senators John McCain (R-Arizona) and Lindsey Graham (R- South Carolina) (CNN, 1/29/2017)

“We fear this executive order will become a self-inflicted wound in the fight against terrorism,” McCain and Graham said in a joint statement, adding that Trump’s executive order “may do more to help terrorist recruitment than improve our security.”

Then here is what CT GOP Chairman JR Romano (with no formal experience in homeland security or foreign relations):

Hartford Courant (1/29): “This has turned into a political frenzy,” Romano said. “Has this created a PR problem? Absolutely. But at the end of the day, it’s about keeping Americans safe.”

Connecticut Post (1/30): J.R. Romano, the state Republican chairman, urged Democrats and demonstrators “to calm down.”…“President Trump said from the beginning he was going to put American families first,” Romano said. “Our visa program has been a mess…So he’s asking we hit the pause button for 90 days to make sure we get this right and something bad doesn’t happen to American citizens.”

Connecticut Democratic Party Chairman Nick Balletto Released the following statement in response: 

“Chairman Romano is the only GOP official or elected leader taking the mantle of leadership on this issue and speaks for Connecticut Republicans and their elected leaders, with only slight exception.

 So let me say this to Chairman Romano: we will not calm down or hit a pause button on upholding our values as Americans and rising up when we believe we must exercise rights as citizens in a democracy and when our neighbors and members of our community are afraid for their future.

To say that these actions have improved our national security or “put American families first” is not only mistaken, it is perilous. Instead of having a thoughtful and constructive discussion about improving our immigration system and our national security with key leaders of either party, let alone the President’s own cabinet (nominated or confirmed) having the chance to vet the Executive Order, President Trump set our immigration system ablaze to check off a campaign promise. In a stroke of the pen, he has undermined our reputation with global partners and the values we stand by internationally.”