'Refugees Welcome' Banner Hung Across Statue of Liberty

On Tuesday afternoon, a banner was unfurled across the Statue of Liberty with the words, "Refugees Welcome." The banner was removed by the National Park police an hour later and authorities are now searching for those involved in the action.

An activist group calling itself "Alt Lady Liberty" said it hung the banner in an email to CNN: "Every American knows an immigrant or a refugee. We wanted to send a reminder about America when we're at our best--the country that's a beacon of freedom to the world, built by immigrants. Walling off countries or entire religions is against our values. That's what the Statue of Liberty stands for."

In an interview with Fusion, an activist called David said the banner was "first conceived in response to what's been called the 'travel ban' of the Trump administration, which I think flies in the face of the founding principals of the United States."

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The Trump administration is currently working to rewrite its controversial travel ban, which targeted immigrants and refugees from seven predominantly Muslim countries.