Trump appeals travel ban to Supreme Court

The Trump administration petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court late Thursday requesting a reversal of lower court decisions denying travel bans on six terror-prone countries and temporarily blocking refugees from entering the United States. President Donald Trump issued the initial executive order a week after he took office, saying the new restrictions were necessary so officials could review and strengthen vetting procedures for immigrants and bolster national security. A federal judge blocked it eight days later, and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sustained the ruling. The White House issued a revised executive order in March which narrowed restrictions, including taking Iraq off the list of banned countries, but federal courts said no to that, as well. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Trump’s national security concerns were “rooted in religious animus and intended to bar Muslims from the U.S.” The court voted 10-3 against reinstating the ban. The Supreme Court has not decided whether to hear Trump’s appeal. If it does, Trump will need at least five justices on his side to implement his executive order.

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