REPUBLICAN presidential candidate Donald Trump has called for a "total and complete shutdown" of all Muslims entering the United States.
In a statement distributed to the press, Mr Trump said that polling shows a "hatred" by Muslims toward Americans that could result in more attacks.
He said there should be a ban on Muslims entering the country until Congress can act.
His comments prompted an immediate outcry.
An official with the Council on American-Islamic Relations said: "We're entering into the realm of the fascist now."
But Mr Trump said: "Without looking at the various polling data, it is obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension.
"Where this hatred comes from and why we will have to determine.
"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."
His comments come after 14 people were killed by a couple who opened fire in Southern California.
The FBI, which is investigating the deaths as an act of terrorism, believe that Tashfeen Malik, 29, and Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, had been radicalised "for some time".
David Bowdish, assistant director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Los Angeles office, said it remained to be seen whether they were indoctrinated by other individuals or turned to extremist ideology on their own.
He also cast further doubt on whether the couple were part of a larger organization of militants.
"I want to be crystal clear here: We do not see any evidence so far of ... an outside-continental-U.S. plot. We may find it some day, we may not. We don't know," he said.
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