Alongside 48 other faith-based organizations, FCNL filed an amicus brief in opposition to President Trump’s executive order barring refugees and individuals from a number of Muslim-majority countries.
“FCNL believes that this executive order is not only cruel and inhumane, but also discriminatory and unconstitutional,” said FCNL Lobbyist for Human Rights and Civil Liberties Yasmine Taeb. “On these grounds, we joined two interfaith amicus briefs opposing the executive order and the values it represents.” The briefs were filed in the 4th and 9th Circuit Courts of Appeals on April 19th and 20th with the assistance of Morrison & Foerster, LLP.
Both briefs state:
FCNL opposes the President’s Executive Order suspending refugee resettlement and barring the entry of individuals from six Muslim-majority countries because it goes against our core values of welcome, religious freedom, and assistance to those most in need. The Muslim ban is discriminatory, unconstitutional, and immoral.
Arguing that President Trump’s March 6th executive order was discriminatory and denied individuals due process, the state of Hawaii filed a suit challenging it in district court. That case is moving up to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which will hear arguments on May 15th.
Meanwhile, the International Refugee Assistance Project and the refugee resettlement and advocacy organization HIAS challenged the executive order in the US District Court for Maryland. That case has moved up to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, where oral arguments are scheduled for May 8th.
