In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court has upheld the Trump Administration’s third Muslim ban. Like previous versions, this one blocks immigrants and temporary visitors from several Muslim-majority countries. The American Civil Liberties Union and partner organizations have challenged every version of the ban.
Kathleen Taylor, Executive Director of the ACLU of Washington, had this reaction to today’s Supreme Court decision: “The Supreme Court’s ruling in the Muslim Ban case supports fear, bigotry, and hatred of people based on their religion. It is contrary to America’s most basic values. For nearly 100 years, the ACLU has fought to have our country live up to the values of the Constitution. We will continue working to ensure that America honors justice and equality not just in words, but in practice.”
Today’s ruling is not the first time the Supreme Court has been wrong. It’s sadly not the first time the Court has allowed official racism and xenophobia to continue, rather than standing up to it. As with earlier rulings, history will judge today’s decision harshly.
President Trump came into office intent on enshrining prejudice, bigotry, and fear against Muslims into national policy. The Trump Administration’s travel bans have trampled this nation’s fundamental values: values such as religious freedom, due process, and equal protection of the law for everyone in our country.
The ACLU is not done fighting. We, along with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, will continue our legal challenge of the refugee ban, Doe v. Trump. In December, we got a nationwide injunction in the case stopping the government from separating refugees already in the United States from their family members abroad. We are working to ensure that order is enforced. Today’s Supreme Court ruling does not affect that case.
Kathleen Taylor, Executive Director of the ACLU of Washington, had this reaction to today’s Supreme Court decision: “The Supreme Court’s ruling in the Muslim Ban case supports fear, bigotry, and hatred of people based on their religion. It is contrary to America’s most basic values. For nearly 100 years, the ACLU has fought to have our country live up to the values of the Constitution. We will continue working to ensure that America honors justice and equality not just in words, but in practice.”
Today’s ruling is not the first time the Supreme Court has been wrong. It’s sadly not the first time the Court has allowed official racism and xenophobia to continue, rather than standing up to it. As with earlier rulings, history will judge today’s decision harshly.
President Trump came into office intent on enshrining prejudice, bigotry, and fear against Muslims into national policy. The Trump Administration’s travel bans have trampled this nation’s fundamental values: values such as religious freedom, due process, and equal protection of the law for everyone in our country.
The ACLU is not done fighting. We, along with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, will continue our legal challenge of the refugee ban, Doe v. Trump. In December, we got a nationwide injunction in the case stopping the government from separating refugees already in the United States from their family members abroad. We are working to ensure that order is enforced. Today’s Supreme Court ruling does not affect that case.
