Sen. Bill Cassidy said Thursday President Donald Trump's travel ban, which was placed on hold Wednesday by a Hawaii judge, is aimed at protecting the United States from "false refugees" trying to enter the country.
The Louisiana Republican appeared on CNN's "New Day" and told host Chris Cuomo Trump has one thing in mind: keeping America safe.
"I suspect they'll appeal, and if they have to, they'll refine," Cassidy said regarding Wednesday's court order. "I think the president ultimately wants to protect us from those false refugees and frankly, we should all wish he can do so."
Cuomo went on to ask Cassidy if the risk of refugees emigrating to the U.S. is a real threat or a potential threat.
"I want to act on an actual threat but also on the potential of a threat," Cassidy said. "Now by the way, I've come out saying that the president's first ban was over-broad. It's not as if I'm defending a blanket ban. But also, I'm not going to say until it happens I don't believe it can.
"We know things can happen because they've happened in Europe. So we should all wish the president successful in keeping us safer."
The lawmaker added that the travel ban, which affects people in six countries with a significant terror presence, is not solely a ban on Muslims because many Christians live in those countries as well.
Cassidy also spoke about healthcare and the GOP's intent to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act signed into law by former President Barack Obama in 2010. Cassidy, a physician who has provided uninsured Americans with healthcare for 25 years, has a different healthcare proposal than what House Republicans recently unveiled: the Patient Freedom Act of 2017.
"The Patient Freedom Act lowers cost multiple ways," Cassidy said. "One, it invites competition from insurance companies. … Secondly, we lower the price of health care in and of itself. … We also pre-fund health savings accounts, so somebody will be able to have first dollar coverage, not a $6,000 level like a bronze level Obamacare policy, needed for health care services."
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