Kris Kobach, Kansas's Secretary of State, helped craft the post-9/11 NSEERS program, which required immigrants from 25 countries to register themselves with the federal government, based solely on the country they came from—24 of which were Muslim-majority. He was also one of the architects of Arizona's SB 1070—a law that gave local police the authority to stop folks based on the "suspicion" that they may be undocumented immigrants.
Now, Kobach is reportedly advising the incoming Trump administration during its transition period, and he's already drafting plans for a new Muslim registry.1
In fact, Kobach's colleague, Carl Higbie, told Fox News’ Megyn Kelly that the U.S.'s internment of Japanese residents is a "precedent" for the administration's plans to create this registry.2
History has taught us what happens when people are asked to register and are sent to camps based on their religion or ethnicity—Congress must remember that lesson and stop this train in its tracks.
Donald Trump campaigned on a message of fear and hate against Muslims and many other groups, and his recent appointments make it clear that he plans to fulfill the most hateful and harmful of his campaign promises.
It's up to members of Congress to block the appointment of anyone who wants to enact policies to target people based on their religion or ethnicity.
Tell your representatives in Congress today: we demand that they block any Trump appointee who wants to take us back to the days of internment camps and Muslim registries—including Kris Kobach.
Sources:
1. "Trump Team Is Mulling Muslim Registry And Planning Border Wall, Reported Adviser Says," The Huffington Post, Nov 16, 2016
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/reported-trump-immigration-advisor-says-hes-drafting-plan-for-muslim-registry_us_582c59bde4b01d8a014b6328
2. "Japanese American internment is ‘precedent’ for national Muslim registry, prominent Trump backer says," The Washington Post, Nov 17, 2016
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/11/17/japanese-internment-is-precedent-for-national-muslim-registry-prominent-trump-backer-says/