Washington, D.C. — Today, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court’s opinion and kept in place a temporary restraining order blocking implementation of President Donald Trump’s executive order establishing a Muslim and refugee ban. Tom Jawetz, Vice President of Immigration at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
Today’s unanimous ruling by the 9th Circuit to keep at bay President Trump’s divisive, dangerous, and counterproductive Muslim and refugee ban sends an important message about the role that an independent judiciary plays in defending the U.S. Constitution and core principles at the heart of our democracy and our American values. President Trump’s executive order is as heartless as it is counterproductive: The Muslim and refugee ban not only betrays American values but also undermines our national security interests. In fact, while the ban was in effect, it led to the detention and return of professionals and students, parents and children, Iraqi interpreters and translators who risked their own lives to defend ours, refugees from around the world, and more. On the security front, in order to effectively combat terrorists, the United States needs strong relationships with allies and partners, especially in majority-Muslim nations.
This ruling is not a final judgment in the case and the legal battle will continue, but it serves to remind us that this un-American and unjust ban—which was intended to and had the effect of discriminating against people on the basis of religion—will cause profound harm if it is once more allowed to be implemented. Moreover, while this is a positive step, we remain concerned that the slashing of the overall number of refugee arrivals to 50,000—the lowest since the Refugee Act of 1980 was enacted—remains in effect. America must continue to be a beacon of freedom for the world and must always set a positive example. The fight against hate doesn’t end here and won’t stop until this ban is completely rescinded.
Center for American Progress experts are available to speak on this topic. To coordinate, please contact Tanya Arditi at [email protected] or 202.741.6258.