New York Times: “Within hours, a State Department dissent cable, asserting that President Trump’s executive order to temporarily bar citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries would not make the nation safer, traveled like a chain letter — or a viral video.”

“The cable wended its way through dozens of American embassies around the world, quickly emerging as one of the broadest protests by American officials against their president’s policies. Spicer rejects criticism

The Trump administration argues that the new measures are necessary to “ensure the safety and security of the American people.” In a statement last weekend, it said the executive order “affects a minor portion of international travelers, and is the first step towards reestablishing control over America's borders and national security.”

But the Dissent Channel memo, a draft of which has been seen by VOA, says the order “will not achieve its aims and will likely be counterproductive.”

White House spokesman Sean Spicer rejected the criticism on Monday, telling reporters that those at the State Department who oppose President Donald Trump's immigration order “should either get with the program or they can go.”

Former diplomats comment

Former diplomats bristled at what is being perceived as a implicit threat against the foreign service community. Some diplomats said they joined the dissent by sending an email saying “I’m in” or “Please add my name as a signer” along with their full name, title, position and post. According to Foreign Policy, there are a few different versions of the memo but all share a similar theme — that contrary to the White House’s assertion that the new rules are about protecting the United States, this ban “will increase anti-American sentiment” and “not achieve its stated aim of to [sic] protect the American people from terrorist attacks by foreign nations.” The memo added that the policy “runs counter to core American values of nondiscrimination, fair play and extending a warm welcome to foreign visitors and immigrants.” (A full draft of at least one of the reported memos is available here.) (Last year, more than 50 State Department diplomats and bureaucrats caused a stir when they gave top diplomat John Kerry a “dissent” cable over former President Barack Obama’s Syria policies.) “We will not comment on internal communications.”

The president's nominee to be secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, has yet to be confirmed by the Senate. The State Department confirmed that such a memo existed, and that it will “respect it,” according to the Washington Post.
The State Department memorandum about concerns with this travel ban is submitted to acting Secretary of State Tom Shannon through the federal government's Dissent Channel. This protest memo had between 900-1,000 signatures. Department officials said these signatures are far more than any dissent cable in recent years, adding more diplomats want to add their names to it.