Trump Calls For Ban On Muslims Entering US
The controversial Presidential hopeful is accused of being "unhinged" over the policy, which would apply to "everybody".
Monday 7 December 2015 21:40, UK
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has called for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States".
The outspoken billionaire's campaign released a statement on Monday, saying the proposal was in response to the level of hatred toward Americans among "large segments of the Muslim population".
Without elaborating, it said the ban would last "until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on".
Mr Trump said it was "obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension. Where this hatred comes from and why we will have to determine".
He added: "Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life."
The Republican front-runner later tweeted: "We must be vigilant!"
Mr Trump's campaign manager said the ban would apply to "everybody", including Muslims seeking immigration visas and tourists.
Several of Mr Trump's Republican rivals have blasted the proposal, including Jeb Bush who suggested the business tycoon was "unhinged".
"His 'policy' proposals are not serious", added Mr Bush.
White House deputy national security advisor Ben Rhodes told CNN the plan was contrary to American values and national security interests.
Lindsey Graham, another of the Republican candidates, tweeted that Trump "has gone from making absurd comments to being downright dangerous with his bombastic rhetoric".
Officials with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) were also quick to condemn the proposal, saying it entered into the "realm of the fascist now".
Ibrahim Hooper, the group's national communications director, said: "It should be disturbing not only to American Muslims, but it should be disturbing to all Americans that the leading Republican presidential candidate would issue essentially a fascist statement like this."
Mr Trump's proposal comes amid heightened security concerns in the wake of the deadly terror attack in Paris and the , California.
American security has become a key talking point on the campaign trail for those looking to succeed President Barack Obama in 2016.
Even the President has been forced to weigh in on the matter, delivering a rare address from the Oval Office on Sunday night to warn Americans on a .
The issue has also triggered debate over the Obama administration's plan to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees in the next year.
The House passed legislation that would bar Syrian refugees from entering the US until security officials certify they are not threats, and more than half of the nation's governors have said they are no longer willing to take in refugees from Syria and Iraq.
Mr Obama has accused Republicans of whipping up "hysteria".
A recent Reuters-Ipsos poll found that 51% of Americans view Muslims living in the US the same as any other community, while 14.6% are generally fearful.