Faith Leaders Call On Baker To Become More Vocal In Opposing Trump's Travel Ban

A group of faith leaders from the Boston area is calling on Gov. Charlie Baker to become more vocal in his opposition of certain immigration policies of the Trump administration.

Dozens of pastors, rabbis and other faith leaders are urging the governor to take a stronger stand against policies they say are discriminatory.

At an event Tuesday, the Rev. Cody Sanders of the Old Cambridge Baptist Church said Baker needs to be clearer in his support of those affected by the new policies.

"For our governor to be silent or to sort of prevaricate on his support is a concern for us," Sanders said. "We want him to stand with us in support of our Muslim friends and neighbors, of the undocumented, of immigrants and refugees of our community. So we need him to speak up."

In a statement released Tuesday, Baker criticized a recent executive order from Trump that temporarily halts refugees and travel from certain predominately Muslim nations. Baker said he supports the state attorney general's newly announced legal challenge of the order.

During a protest in Boston on Sunday opposing Trump's executive order, some in the crowd shouted, "Where is Charlie Baker?"

Baker has said he did not vote for his fellow Republican in the presidential election.

Trump has defended his executive order, saying in a statement that it is "about terror and keeping our country safe."

With reporting by WBUR's Steve Brown