WASHINGTON _ A number of U.S. diplomats are condemning President Donald Trump's ban on some Muslim immigrants and visitors, saying the abrupt order does not make the U.S. safer and will only stoke anti-American fervor overseas.
The complaint, being made through the State Department's so-called dissent channel, echoes criticism coming from human rights attorneys, legal experts and lawmakers from both political parties, as well as world leaders.
It is significant because it represents the viewpoint of the men and women who must carry out Trump's unconventional and often provocative foreign policy.
"A policy which closes our doors to over 200-million legitimate travelers in the hopes of preventing a small number of travelers who intend to harm Americans ... will not achieve its aim of making our country safer," said a draft version of the memo that was circulating Monday and was reviewed by the Los Angeles Times/Tribune Washington Bureau. It was first reported by ABC News.
"Moreover, such a policy runs counter to core American values of non-discrimination, fair play and extending a warm welcome to foreign visitors and immigrants."
It was not clear how many officials would sign the memo.
Dissent channel memos are in theory not made public. The mechanism is designed to allow diplomats to offer an alternative policy without fear of retaliation.
Acting State Department spokesman Mark Toner confirmed the existence of the memo but declined to comment on its contents.
"The dissent channel is a longstanding official vehicle for State Department employees to convey alternative views and perspectives on policy issues," he said. " ... It allows State employees to express divergent policy views candidly and privately to senior leadership."
The agency is still waiting for a boss. Trump's pick for secretary of state, former Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson, is expected to be confirmed by the Senate this week.
The last time a dissent-channel memo was reported publicly was last year, when about 50 diplomats protested Obama administration policy in Syria, which they described as "inaction."
