Summary: US appeal court affirms suspension of President Trump’s ‘Muslim Ban’

New York, 25th May 2017: The Fourth Circuit appeal court has today issued a ruling affirming the suspension of President Trump’s ‘Muslim ban’ executive order in the case IRAP v. Trump, brought by SRT grantees the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) and the American Civil Liberties Union along with the National Immigration Law Center. The judges ruled by 10-3 that the ban is unconstitutional.

IRAP brought the case in March 2017 on the grounds that the ‘Muslim ban’ violates the First Amendment’s prohibition of government establishment of religion and the Fifth Amendment’s guarantees of equal treatment under the law, as well as violating federal laws.

This ruling comes after oral arguments were heard at a federal appeals court in Richmond, Virginia on 8th May. In his order, Chief Judge Gregory stated that, ‘in text, [the executive order] speaks with vague words of national security, but in context drips with religious intolerance, animus, and discrimination.”

A federal court in Maryland blocked part of President Trump’s executive order banning travel from six Muslim-majority countries to the US in March, just before the order was due to take effect. If implemented, the policy would have affected the vulnerable refugees IRAP works with daily and their ability to seek safety in the United States.

Becca Heller, IRAP’s Director, said, ‘Once again, the courts have confirmed that the Muslim Ban is discriminatory and harmful. The President cannot simply slap the words “national security” on an unconstitutional policy and get away with it. We will fight this ban for as long as it takes.’

Full press release from IRAP’s website: https://refugeerights.org/press-release-irap-praises-4th-circuit-ruling-affirming-suspension-of-muslim-ban