US Supreme Court upholds President Trump's immigration order; White House reacts

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday issued its final opinion on President Trump's executive order banning entry for citizens of several predominantly Muslim countries, with a majority of justices finding it legal.

According to Reuters, in today's vote, five judges of the court voted in favor of the government and four judges voted in favor of opponents who believe that the order is religiously discriminatory and violates US law.

The case related to the entry ban on citizens of six predominantly Muslim countries - which now number five with the removal of Chad from the list - was filed in this highest US judicial authority on April 25.

Although the Supreme Court ruled last December to fully implement the order pending the completion of its review of the arguments of the government and opponents of the presidential executive order, it was required to issue its final opinion by the end of June.

Chief Justice John Roberts, while delivering the ruling, said the president had lawfully used the authority granted to him by the Immigration and Nationality Act to suspend the entry of foreign nationals into the United States.

Last September, President Trump issued a third executive order to ban citizens of Iran, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, and Chad from entering the United States – after federal courts blocked two previous orders.

The ban on entry of citizens of the African country of Chad was removed from the scope of this decree on April 10 of this year.

Venezuela and North Korea are also subject to the decree, but the challenge is over the possibility of discrimination against Muslims, which the court had to review for compatibility with the constitution and other laws and announce its final opinion.

Government response

Shortly after the Supreme Court's final ruling, US President Donald Trump welcomed the country's highest judicial authority's renewed support for the full implementation of the immigration order in a message on Twitter.

President Trump called the ruling "a huge victory for the American people and the Constitution" in a statement an hour later, saying the Supreme Court's ruling affirmed the president's clear authority to defend the national security of the United States.

"In an era when global terrorism and extremist movements target innocent civilians, we must properly screen those who come to this country," he continued in a statement posted on the White House website.

The US President then emphasized in a conversation with reporters at the start of a cabinet meeting at the White House that the United States needs immigrant labor, but those who love this country and respect its values ​​should come in.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions previously called today's Supreme Court ruling that the presidential executive order was legally binding "a major victory" for the safety and security of all American citizens.

The US Department of Homeland Security issued a statement welcoming the opinion of the US Supreme Court majority, saying that it would continue its duties in enforcing the country's immigration laws and would have a "humane and professional approach" with everyone.

Opposition reaction

Sonia Sotomayor, one of the Supreme Court justices who found the order unconstitutional and voted against it, said that the court completely ignored the president's previous statements against Muslims.

According to CNN, citing Ms. Sotomayor, today's ruling by the Court actually gives the religious minorities in our country the feeling that they are outsiders and not considered a full member of the country's political community.

The news network, which has a critical view of President Trump's policies, also reported a protest rally by a group of opponents of the immigration order in front of the Supreme Court building.

Democratic Senator Chris Coons, in response to today's court ruling, said that the view that the executive order is constitutional "does not mean it is right, justified, or reflective of American values."

Keith Ellison, the first Muslim member of the US House of Representatives, previously said in opposition to the final ruling of the US Supreme Court, "Discrimination and racism and religious hatred and bigotry will never ultimately prevail."

The most serious opponent of this order is the state of Hawaii, which considers it a violation of the country's immigration laws as well as the Constitution and says that the government should not, in any case, favor one religion over another.

The government, however, does not consider this order based on the religion of the individuals and says that reviewing the travel requests of citizens of these countries to the United States requires more time and accuracy, because there is no exchange of information between us and them, and undesirable elements can easily enter the country.

Source: Voice of America