SUNRISE, Fla. – Leaders of the South Florida Muslim community are concerned about President Donald Trump's new executive orders, which they describe as a Muslim ban.
The executive orders would crack down on immigrants and people who visit the U.S.
They would also stop Syrian refugees from settling in the country.
Trump has also ordered an immediate 30-day halt on all immigrant and non-immigrant travelers from certain countries that have links to terrorism -- countries like Iraq, Iran, Syria and Yemen.
In the meantime, officials from the Council on American Islamic Relations are expressing concern over the orders, and held a rally Thursday night in Miami along with the Jewish Voice for Peace, ACLU and various religious and civil rights organizations.
"I'm here to protest Trump's policies toward immigration, specifically the ban on Muslim-majority countries," Emily Nostro said. "I think what he's doing is just completely not right and completely un-American."
CAIR leaders said the orders will not protect the U.S. from terrorism, but instead will stop innocent people who want to come to this country, make an honest living and be productive members of society.
"If the goal is to protect the United States, then anyone who enters this country should be vetted," Omar Saleh, of CAIR Florida, said. "It shouldn't be limited to one race or religion."
The civil rights attorney, who is also a Muslim, said the orders are extremely disheartening
"We believe that these orders are an implementation of what the then-candidate Trump said would be a complete ban on Muslims," Saleh said. "This is a systematic effort to exclude Middle Easterners and Muslims out of the country. We believe this is short-sighted and uninformed, and it is unproductive."
The Rally for All Those Targeted by the Trump Administration was held at the Torch of Friendship monument in downtown Miami.
"We believe this action isn't going to make the country any safer," Saleh said. "In fact, it will just make the United States more fearsome and divide the community."
During the rally people sent a loud message to Trump.
"Muslims are not the threat, Islam is not the threat. Islam is a religion of peace," Yousef Muslet said.
Mariana Martinez, the daughter of undocumented immigrants, said she worries about their future, and the future of other family members and friends who are undocumented.
"I see and I hear my community being scared," Martinez said. "They're scared to leave the house. They're scared to drive their kids to school."
And she wasn't alone.
Julio Calderon didn't qualify for DACA when he first came to the U.S. He has been cited for driving without a license, which under the president's policy makes him eligible for deportation.
"It is criminalizing humans that just who just want an opportunity, who want to help society," Calderon said.