The US Supreme Court on Monday allowed the third and newest version of
President Donald Trump’s travel ban on six mainly Muslim countries to take
effect pending appeal.
The decision was a victory for the administration after its mixed success
before the court over the summer, when justices considered and eventually
dismissed disputes over the second version.
On Monday, seven of the nine justices lifted injunctions imposed by lower
courts on the policy.
It was gathered that only Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor
would have allowed the president’s order to remain blocked.
Issued in September, the third edition of the travel ban placed varying
levels of restrictions on foreign nationals from eight countries: Chad, Iran,
Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Somalia and Yemen.Lower courts in two separate challenges had partially blocked the ban.
The order is a significant temporary win for the Trump administration, which
has fought all year to impose a travel ban against citizens of several
Muslim-majority countries. Monday’s order means it can be enforced while
challenges to the policy make their way through the legal system.
The Trump administration has maintained that the President has the authority
to install travel bans in order to protect national security.
“The Constitution and acts of Congress confer on the President broad
authority to prevent aliens abroad from entering this country when he deems it in
the nation’s interest,” Solicitor General Noel Francisco argued in court
papers. Francisco argued that the ban was necessary “in order to protect
national security.”
Federal appeals courts in San Francisco, California, and Richmond, Virginia,
will hear arguments this week on whether the latest iteration of the policy is
lawful.
Karen Tumlin, legal director of the National Immigration Law Center, wrote
on Twitter that Monday’s ruling was “devastating news”.
But she added: “It’s important to remember that the Supreme Court has NOT
addressed the legal merits of the latest Muslim Ban nor the human impacts w/its
order today.”
“The fight continues.”

No comments:
Post a Comment