By BREAKING: The Supreme Court has just announced that it will judge on the legality of Trump’s travel ban, listening to oral arguments in October. For now, this means that one of the most controversial mainstays of Trump’s campaign remains in effect. The watered-down version is expected to take effect in 72 hours and was announced as Muslims around the world celebrated the conclusion of Ramadan with Eid festivities.
The revised ban will restrict entry of Muslims from the six Muslim-majority countries listed (Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen) unless travelers already have a bona-fide relationship with the United States.
What is a bona-fide relationship? Visiting family members or those coming to live with family already residing in the United States must have a “close familial relationship is required” according to the Supreme Court. For those attending university or coming to work with a U.S. country, it means a “formal, documented, and formed in the ordinary course, rather than for the purpose of evading.”
President Trump’s Muslim ban violates the fundamental constitutional principle that government cannot favor or disfavor any one religion.
Many advocacy groups are warning that the wording around what exactly a “bona-fide” relationship is not clear enough, and that the nuance of interpretation will cause confusion at airports once again. The International Refugee Assistance Project is already sending lawyers to airports to support visa-holders that are being given a hard time upon entry.
“President Trump’s Muslim ban violates the fundamental constitutional principle that government cannot favor or disfavor any one religion…Courts have repeatedly blocked this indefensible and discriminatory ban. The Supreme Court now has a chance to permanently strike it down.” Omar Jadwat, director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, who argued the appellate case, said in a statement on Monday.
The original “Muslim Ban” was announced on January 27, 2017 – and has been strongly opposed by advocacy and legal organizations, and was formally blocked by Federal judges in Hawaii and Maryland in the months following the Ban, which was followed by similar rulings in the U.S. Court of Appeals earlier this month.
The October hearings will give the opportunity for opposers of the Muslim ban to demonstrate its illegality.
No, @POTUS, today's Supreme Court decision does not allow your travel ban to take effect.
We look forward to seeing you in court. https://t.co/nCH2CAf9aP
— ACLU (@ACLU) June 26, 2017
You can read the full order issued by the Supreme Court here.
It’s not a “Muslim ban,” so stop calling it that. These are countries that are either politically unstable or hostile to the US. We should’ve had restrictions like this a decade ago.
Obama did similar, and this list was drawn up by him. Different magnitude but same predicate.
Not a ban on Muslims. Maybe ban on deniers of common sense.