The Supreme Court has upheld Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban which places restrictions on people from seven different countries from entering the United States.
The 5-4 decision concludes the legal fight over the ban, which many argue is to do with president’s discriminatory attitude toward Muslims.
Trump was unsurprisingly jubilant, saying the Supreme Court ruling was ” a tremendous victory for the American People and the Constitution.”
As expected he took to Twitter to celebrate. “SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS TRUMP TRAVEL BAN,” he wrote. “Wow!”
SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS TRUMP TRAVEL BAN. Wow!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2018
In a written statement, he insisted that the decision would make Americans safer.
It is the third version of the travel ban, which was issued in September after previous bans bounced around through the courts.
So, down to the nitty-gritty. What does the ban mean for travellers?
Travel restrictions now apply to arrivals from Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Somalia while all immigration has been completely suspended from those countries.
Business and tourist visas have been suspended for travellers from Libya, Venezuela and Yemen. Iranians, on the other hand, are able to visit with student or exchange visas.
Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts said “the proclamation was expressly premised on legitimate purposes:”
“Preventing entry of nationals who cannot be adequately vetted and inducing other nations to improve their practices. The text says nothing about religion.”
Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts
Democrats said the travel ban was based on Trump’s anti-Muslim statements.
Democratic leader Keith Maurice Ellison said the ban undermined the core value of religious tolerance on which America was founded.
“I am deeply disappointed that this ruling gives legitimacy to discrimination and Islamophobia,” he said.
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