Gov. John Bel Edwards is reacting cautiously to President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration and refugees.
Asked this morning what he thinks of the controversial measure, Edwards—who walks a fine political line as a conservative Democrat in a heavily Republican state—declined to weigh in on the merits of the order per se. He took issue, however, with the way it was rolled out.
“It’s pretty obvious that it wasn’t vetted well within the administration because you have multiple agencies and departments that all need to weigh in and be prepared so our government can speak with one voice and there is less confusion,” Edwards says. “I think had they vetted it more thoroughly some things would’ve been changed and the way the public reacted wouldn’t have been as negative.”
But, the governor also cut the Trump administration some slack.
“It’s a young administration and I suspect as always happens, there’s a learning curve and they’ll do better moving forward,” he says.
Signed on Friday, the 90-day order bans travelers and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. until a new process to vet refugees could be put in place.
—Stephanie Riegel
