By now you have probably heard that in a 7-2 ruling handed down Monday afternoon, the U.S. Supreme Court will allow full enforcement of a ban on travel to the United States by residents of six mostly Muslim countries. By lifting injunctions imposed by lower courts, the path is clear for President Donald Trump to fully enforce the third version of a controversial travel ban that prohibits people from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States.
As the Associated Press reports, “Lower courts had said people from those nations with a claim of a ‘bona fide’ relationship with someone in the United States could not be kept out of the country. Grandparents, cousins and other relatives were among those courts said could not be excluded.”
In a statement, Attorney General Jeff Sessions called the court’s decision a “substantial victory for the safety and security of the American people.”
“The Constitution gives the president the responsibility and power to protect this country from all threats foreign and domestic, and this order remains vital to accomplishing those goals,” he said.
However, the lifting the injunctions does not mean that the legal battle is over. Not by a long shot. The high court has allowed the ban to go into effect, but legal proceedings over the constitutionality of the executive order will continue in the lower courts.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), one of the rights groups leading the fight against the “Muslim ban”, stressed that Monday’s ruling is not on the legality of the executive order, saying that the measure will be ultimately struck down.
To Muslims in the United States, those kept apart from loved ones by the ban, and everyone who cherishes religious equality, we stand with you. We continue to fight for freedom and equality and for those who are unfairly being separated from their loved ones. #NoMuslimBanEver
— ACLU (@ACLU) December 4, 2017
Karen Tumlin, the legal director for the National Immigration Law Center, echoed the ACLU statement, saying “it is important to remember that the Supreme Court has not addressed the legal merits of the latest ‘Muslim ban’ nor the human impacts with its order today”.
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. Those will be before 2 federal courts of appeal this week. The fight continues. #NoMuslimBanEver
— Karen Tumlin (@KarenTumlin) December 4, 2017
Saayan Modarres, Legal Counsel for the National Iranian American Council added:
https://twitter.com/shayanmodarres/status/937808002610073600
Reactions to the ruling were filled with a melange of disappointment, shame and defiance…
#Islamophobia is not just about personal prejudice.
It also has a legal, institutional, & state-implemented component.
The #SupremeCourt rules to allow full enforcement of @POTUS' #MuslimBan. https://t.co/zFo6hekxoN— omid safi (@ostadjaan) December 4, 2017
NIAC ‘Frustrated’ with Muslim Ban Being Allowed Back into Effect
…and what this means for those planning to apply for visas, and those who already have valid visashttps://t.co/wlqI9TfTYx
— Trita Parsi (@tparsi) December 4, 2017
Horrible news about the reinstatement of #MuslimBan3. #Iranians will be impacted more than any other community.
You WILL be hearing from us. See you in court this Friday. #StopTrumpsBan #ResistHate #NoMuslimBanEver pic.twitter.com/gcj8M4yFKA
— NIAC Action PAC (@NIACActionPAC) December 4, 2017
My family is affected by this, as are tens of thousands of others around the country. The lifting of the injunction will cause untold disruption to American families, but we must all do everything we can to prevent this hateful travel ban from becoming permanent. https://t.co/2qe3CDR9ui
— Cyrus Habib (@cyrushabib) December 4, 2017
Cannot overemphasize how much this #MuslimBan is tearing apart families. Absolutely heartless.https://t.co/cuR5tWVOdH
— Adrienne Mahsa Varkiani (@AdrienneMahsa) December 4, 2017
This fight is far from over. We must resist the un-American #MuslimBan which is rooted in hatred and bigotry. #NoMuslimBanEver
https://t.co/eikPxLgAk8— Rep. Barbara Lee (@RepBarbaraLee) December 4, 2017
A religious-based ban goes against everything we stand for as Americans. We who stand for religious equality will continue fighting for liberty and justice for all. https://t.co/ChHuWuQT7a
— Keith Ellison (@keithellison) December 4, 2017
https://twitter.com/hdagres/status/937803548993249281
It’s good to know @realDonaldTrump and #SupremeCourt are keeping America safe from Iranian grandmothers! #TravelBan https://t.co/w73f4xALdG
— MazJobrani (@MazJobrani) December 4, 2017
The #MuslimBan is not about keeping our country safe; it’s about dividing Americans. #NoMuslimBanEver https://t.co/WY1Era6XhS
— Southern Poverty Law Center (@splcenter) December 4, 2017
The fight is far from over. Today's Supreme Court order decision underscores the need for all of us to not only continue challenging the #MuslimBan in the legal system, but to also show up for our Muslim neighbors, co-workers and friends in every venue and community. pic.twitter.com/mHOKGuqLih
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) December 5, 2017
Every day I grow more & more embarrassed by the American part of my identity. But it’s my Iranian one that’s banned. Here we go again. They won’t rest until we die second class citizens of this haunted country. #MuslimBan
— porochista khakpour (@PKhakpour) December 4, 2017
Action alert: Your voice, your vote, your tax dollars matter. Call your Senators to stop the ‘Muslim Ban’ — click here to learn more.
