US Holocaust Museum Urges Lawmakers to Protect Refugees 'Whatever Their National or Religious Identity'

But the statement makes no reference to Trump's executive order.

ByABC News
February 1, 2017, 6:10 AM

— -- The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum issued a statement Tuesday addressing the global refugee crisis, urging lawmakers to craft policy that addresses national security concerns while protecting legitimate refugees, regardless of nationality or religion.

But the 183-word statement curiously makes no reference to President Donald Trump's recently-executed executive order, which temporarily suspends immigration from seven Muslim-majority nations.

"The Museum continues to have grave concern about the global refugee crisis and our response to it," reads the statement. "During the 1930s and 1940s, the United States, along with the rest of the world, generally refused to admit Jewish refugees from Nazism due to anti-Semitic and xenophobic attitudes, harsh economic conditions, and national security fears."

Directly acknowledging Syrian refugees -- who have been adversely impacted by Trump's travel ban -- the statement reads, "In our view, there are many legitimate refugees fleeing the Assad regime’s sustained campaign of crimes against humanity and the genocidal acts perpetrated by ISIS against the Yazidis, Christians, and other religious minorities."

The statement continues, "American policy should fully address national security concerns while protecting legitimate refugees whatever their national or religious identity."

This is the second statement released by the museum within the past week that seems to be taking issue with Trump administration.

After the White House released a statement last week acknowledging International Holocaust Remembrance Day -- but not referencing the six million Jews killed by the Nazis -- the museum issued a statement that while "millions of other innocent civilians" were murdered during the Holocaust, "the elimination of Jews was central" to the acts of Nazi Germany.

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