NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump called Monday for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States."
The proposed ban would stand "until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on," his campaign said in a statement.
The statement added that Trump's proposal comes in response to the level of hatred among "large segments of the Muslim population" toward Americans.
"Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life," Trump said in the statement.
He added on Twitter: "Just put out a very important policy statement on the extraordinary influx of hatred & danger coming into our country. We must be vigilant!"
Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said Trump's proposed ban would apply to "everybody," including Muslims seeking immigration visas as well as tourists seeking to enter the country.
He did not respond to questions about whether it would also include Muslims who are U.S. citizens and travel outside of the country, or how a determination of someone's religion might be made by customs and border officials.
In response to a request for additional detail, Trump said via a campaign spokeswoman: "Because I am so politically correct, I would never be the one to say. You figure it out!"
U.S. Representative André Carson (D-Indiana), one of only two Muslim members of Congress, decried Trump's statements as "asinine."
"Today, Donald Trump once again proved he lacks the judgement to serve as Commander in Chief of this great nation," Carson said. "It is unbelievable that a candidate for President of the United States has made such an asinine comment."
Other Republicans were quick to repudiate Trump's statement.
.@jebbush denounces @realDonaldTrump's proposal to ban Muslim immigration as "unhinged": pic.twitter.com/qKIiQfU6Pa
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) December 7, 2015
— John Kasich (@JohnKasich) December 7, 2015
Once again, Donald Trump has chosen bombastic rhetoric over sound judgement
— Senator Dan Coats (@SenDanCoats) December 7, 2015
Trump's proposal comes a day after President Barack Obama spoke to the nation from the Oval Office in the wake of the shootings in San Bernardino, California, which Obama said was "an act of terrorism designed to kill innocent people."
The FBI said Monday the Muslim couple who carried out the massacre had been radicalized and had taken target practice at area gun ranges, in one case within days of the attack last week that killed 14 people.
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