4th Circuit hears oral arguments on Trump travel ban

A federal appeals court will hear arguments today about the future of President Donald Trump’s immigration executive order. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is weighing the administration’s proposal to ban new visas for citizens of six Muslim-majority countries. A federal judge in Maryland ruled in March that the order was driven by religious animus toward Muslims. The Justice Department argues the text of the policy does not hint at any form of discrimination, but the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Immigration Law Center say there is plenty of public evidence the policy was conceived to target Muslims. The 4th Circuit will hear the case en banc, bypassing the normal preliminary arguments with a three-judge panel. Two Republican-appointed judges have recused themselves. If the court sides with Trump, the travel ban will still remain blocked under a similar injunction issued in Hawaii. That ruling comes up for appellate review next Monday.