The Friends Committee on National Legislation is disappointed that the U.S. Supreme Court decided to allow part of President Trump’s travel ban to go into effect while it considers the broader Executive Order.
The United States derives much of its strength and character from the many peoples who have built it. By allowing parts of the travel ban to take effect, the Supreme Court order endangers the nation and violates the fundamental values and principles that make us a strong nation today.
Two U.S. appeals court had found the travel ban would result in immediate harm both to individuals living inside the United States and those living outside of our country. Under the court’s order, foreign nationals from six Muslim-majority countries without bona fide U.S. ties are prohibited from traveling to the U.S. It allows President Trump to implement, at least in part, his campaign pledge to ban Muslims from entering the U.S.
In an attempt to sidestep accusations of discrimination, President Trump’s March executive order leaves out provisions extending special treatment to religious minorities—but it still functions as a de facto Muslim ban. All six countries subject to the travel ban are Muslim-majority countries. Visitors and refugees from these countries pose no risk to the United States, and there is no valid security-based reason to select this particular group. Though it does not bar all Muslims, the travel ban nevertheless appears designed to prevent thousands of Muslims from coming to the United States.
FCNL Executive Secretary Diane Randall made the following statement:
“The Supreme Court’s decision to allow parts of President Trump’s travel ban to take effect violates fundamental religious freedoms which are at the core of the values of our nation. As Quakers who advocated for and helped to shape our nation’s policies on religious freedom, we are particularly concerned by this step backward. The Court is denying people the opportunity to come to the U.S. based on the dominant religion in their country of origin. Denying that freedom for some diminishes liberty for all.”
FCNL Legislative Representative for Human Rights and Civil Liberties Yasmine Taeb made the following statement:
“It is unacceptable for the Supreme Court to overturn rulings made by lower courts without releasing a formal, signed ruling of their own, or even hearing arguments in the relevant cases.
“Not only is this action by the Supreme Court an offense to the judges of the 4th and 9th Circuits, who meticulously laid out the legal reasoning underlying their decision to uphold the block, but it is an offense to the principles of careful deliberation, transparency, and minimization of harm on which our entire system of justice is—and must continue to be—based.
“It is deeply saddening that the Supreme Court has ignored this concern and subjected people around the world to needless hardship under an executive order that we trust will ultimately be found unconstitutional.”
