U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet said America should help refugees and asylum seekers not turn them away at the border, the plan imposed last month by President Trump.

The administration suspended refugee resettlement programs and began denying asylum seekers entry to the country under the president’s emergency powers for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Friday Bennet sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf urging the administration not to use the global crisis “for anti-migrant or anti-refugee policies, or use it as an excuse to shut the door on those fleeing war or persecution.” 

“COVID-19 is certain to have tragic consequences to refugees around the world. Refugees living in crowded and unsanitary conditions are especially at risk of exposure to COVID-19 without access to clean water and food,” the letter states. “An extended ban on resettlement programs will endanger the lives of even more refugees, further jeopardizing our collective public health.” 

Read the entire letter by clicking here.

Trump made the decision citing the flow of people across the border.

“Our nation’s top health-care officials are extremely concerned about the grave public health consequences of mass uncontrolled cross-border movement,” Trump said when he announced the new rules.

The same day, March 18, he norted that Canada was doing the with its southern border to all foreign nationals except U.S. citizens.

“We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic,” Trump tweeted. “Trade will not be affected.”