By: Ashmar Mandou
The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld President Trump’s ban on foreign visitors and immigrants from predominantly Muslim countries by a 5-4 vote. The current ban covers five Muslim-majority nations – Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen — as well as North Korea and some government officials from Venezuela. The administration was forced to revise the original order twice to resolve legal problems over due process, implementation and its exclusive targeting of Muslim nations. Upon the ruling, several public leaders released a statement to the media denouncing the court’s decision.
“This is a sad day for the rule of law and the country. It has been clear from the beginning that President Trump wants fewer legal immigrants – especially people of color – and to many Americans like me, the racism that is driving this policy is self-evident. The victory of the Administration’s policy to keep out legal immigrants is further proof that elections have consequences and that the Senate Republican strategy of denying a Democratic President appointments to the Supreme Court in order to allow court vacancies to be filled by a Republican President has worked.” -Statement from Representative Luis V. Gutiérrez
“In its majority opinion, the Supreme Court discusses Korematsu v. US, the 1944 decision upholding the forced evacuation of 120,000 Americans of Japanese descent from the West Coast during World War II. The Court states that “Korematsu was gravely wrong the day it was decided, has been overruled in the court of history, and—to be clear—‘has no place in law under the Constitution.’” Just as now, nearly 75 years later, we regard the Korematsu ruling as wrong and the internment of Japanese Americans as a shameful part of US history, so too will history judge as shameful this Administration’s attempts to ban immigrants and travelers from predominantly Muslim countries, motivated by nothing more than sheer bigotry and ignorance. And so will history judge as wrong today’s Supreme Court decision upholding these bans.” -Statement from the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
“The Supreme Court upholding Donald Trump’s de facto Muslim ban is an appalling decision that runs counter to the core values our country was founded on. It’s shameful that this bigoted president is getting away with imposing a poorly disguised religious test for entrance into our country. It’s even more shameful that his silent partner, Bruce Rauner, refuses to rebuke Trump for his attempts to exploit our differences and rip apart families. While Rauner is in Washington today, he should send a clear message to the president that his xenophobic travel ban abandons American principles. When I’m governor, Donald Trump will know his hate has no place in Illinois, and I will protect our immigrant families and fight back against Trump’s bigoted agenda at every turn.” -Statement from JB Pritzker, Democratic candidate for Illinois Governor
“The current presidential administration has built its approach to immigrants and refugees on religious and ethnic prejudice since the moment Donald Trump announced his candidacy. As the son of immigrants from Haiti, a nation Trump derided as a “shithole,” I’m well aware of the ugly biases driving the president’s policies. Today’s decision to uphold his executive order banning entry primarily from Muslim-majority countries enables his administration’s willful disregard for American values and the Constitution. I understand the countless ways in which people from all over the world contribute to our state and nation. We need policies that are commonsense and compassionate, and Trump’s approach is neither. Now is not the time to yield to discouragement, but to fight in the courts and at the ballot box for the rights and values we want to define us.” -Statement from Democratic candidate for Attorney General Kwame Raoul
