President Obama Denounces Immigration Ban As White House Plays Defense

President Obama, newly out of office, responded Monday to President Trump's executive order limiting the immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries as the White House defended the controversial policy.

Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis released a statement saying the former president believes, "American values are at stake.”

The order implemented over the weekend barred immigrants and refugees who were citizens of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Libya and Yemen. As a part of the enforcement, more than 100 legal permanent residents of the U.S., who also happened to be citizens of these countries, found themselves detained for hours or longer while they underwent extensive vetting from border agents.

This led to a major public backlash, with many referring to the order as a "Muslim ban," which Trump proposed during the campaign.

In light of the protests surrounding the order, Obama's statement said that he "is heartened by the level of engagement taking place in communities around the country."

While Trump insists the order is not a Muslim ban, the populations of the affected countries are largely Muslim. The following shows the Muslim portion of each country's population:

• Iraq: 99 percent
• Iran: more than 99 percent
• Syria: 87 percent
• Somalia: more than 99 percent
• Sudan: 97 percent
• Libya: 96.6 percent
• Yemen: more than 99 percent

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer declined to comment on Obama's statement. He defended the immigration ban on its merits during a press briefing Monday afternoon, saying its problems have been "blown way out of proportion and exaggerated."

Spicer said that the order only contained "common-sense steps."

He also argued that outrage against the order is unwarranted, as Obama had listed the same countries as needing review regarding a travel ban. The administration also cited a 2011 order from Obama on Iraqi immigration as precedent.

Obama's statement addressed comparison to his own policies: "With regard to comparisons to President Obama’s foreign policy decisions, as we’ve heard before, the president fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith or religion."

The Washington Post Fact Checker pointed out thee major differences between Obama's policies and Trump's: Obama's order was in response to a specific threat; it slowed, rather than stopped visa applications; and it did not prevent all citizens, including green card holders, from entering the U.S.

Asked about whether reports that members of the State Department strongly oppose the ban, Spicer said, "They can get with the program or go."

Responding to the shooting at a mosque in Quebec City, Spicer said, ""We condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms."

But he also argued that the even supported the president's agenda: "It's a terrible reminder of why we must remain vigilant and why the president is taking steps to be pro-active, rather re-active, when it comes to our nation's safety and security."

Despite initial reports that a Moroccan Muslim man was implicated in the attack, authorities now say that they only have one suspect: a French Canadian named Alexandre Bissonnette who was critical of refugees according to multiple reports.

Spicer also defended Trump's statement recognizing Holocaust Remembrance Day, which many observers criticized for not mentioning either Jews or anti-Semitism. The press secretary argued that the criticism was "pathetic" and that Trump "went out of his way to recognize the Holocaust."

This story is developing; refresh for updates.

Photo credit: Center for American Progress Action Fund