CAIR, Asian Americans Advancing Justice and NILC Disappointed by Supreme Court Order on Muslim Ban 2.0
Civil rights groups vow to continue legal challenge to unconstitutional discrimination against Muslims
San Francisco, CA – Today, the Supreme Court of the United States issued an order in Trump vs. International Refugee Assistance Project dismissing the case from its docket. The case had been before the Court after a lower court blocked the President’s second attempt to impose a Muslim ban. The Supreme Court’s order today dismissed the government’s appeal as moot, since part of President’s Trump’s ban expired two weeks ago. This order returns attention in the case to the Maryland district court, where the plaintiffs in IRAP have already moved for a court order blocking the President’s third Muslim ban before it goes fully into effect on October 18.
In response to this action, Gadeir Abbas, Senior Litigation Attorney for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Elica Vafaie, Staff Attorney for Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and Avideh Moussavian, Senior Policy Attorney at the National Immigration Law Center, released the following statements:
Avideh Moussavian, Senior Policy Attorney at the National Immigration Law Center:
“While the court didn’t issue a decision on the merits of the ban, we continue to fully believe that this iteration of the Muslim ban — like prior versions — is unlawful and unconstitutional. In doing so, the court was highlighting that this was a procedural decision. Despite this, this latest news doesn’t change the chaos and confusion suffered by our communities when traveling under the Trump administration.”
Elica Vafaie, Staff Attorney at Asian Americans Advancing Justice:
“Regardless of the decision of the Supreme Court, the current Muslim Ban continues to cause real harm to Muslim immigrants and refugees every day. This administration has made multiple attempts to ban Muslims through Executive Orders, proclamations, and administrative policies. We have been here before with Japanese internment and the Chinese Exclusion Act, and we will not be silent. We ask everyone who wants to challenge these hateful Muslim Bans to join us in Washington, D.C. on October 18th.”
Gadeir Abbas, Senior Litigation Attorney at CAIR National:
“We will be in court on Monday to stop the latest attempt to ban Muslim communities. The fight is not over and we are not giving up. We will continue to fight the new Muslim Ban, both in the lower courts and in the streets. We have been fighting the discriminatory and un-American actions of the Trump administration since day one and we will continue to hold the president and others accountable.”
The Supreme Court’s order does not affect the pending challenges to the new ban; nor does it apply to Trump vs. Hawaii, the case from the 9th Circuit, which blocked the refugee ban, a partial version of which expires in two weeks, in addition to blocking the now-expired travel ban.
###
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of five leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and other underserved communities to promote a fair and equitable society for all. The affiliation’s members are: Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus (San Francisco), Advancing Justice – AAJC (Washington, D.C.), Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, Advancing Justice – Atlanta, and Advancing Justice – Chicago.
The National Immigration Law Center is exclusively dedicated to defending and advancing the rights and opportunities of low-income immigrants and their families. Our mission is grounded in the belief that every American—and aspiring American—should have the opportunity to fulfill their full potential regardless of where they were born or how much money they have. Using our deep expertise in a wide range of issues that affect low-income immigrants’ lives, we work with communities in courtrooms and legislatures to help advance policies that create a more just and equitable society for everyone.
The #NoMuslimBanEver campaign, a coalition of national and local civil rights and Muslim advocacy groups, are mobilizing and organizing events around the country to help lead the fight against President Trump’s latest unconstitutional Muslim Ban, as well as other discriminatory immigration policies that criminalize and negatively impact American Muslims communities across the country.