The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday backed President Donald Trump’s ban on travellers from six Muslim-majority countries until it reviews it later this year.
The court also allowed ban on all refugees with no
connection to the U.S., while agreeing to hear his appeals in the closely
watched legal fight.
The court said that it would hear arguments on the legality
of one of Trump’s signature policies in his first month as president in the
court’s next term, which starts in October.
According to Reuters, the court granted parts of his
administration’s emergency request to put the order into effect immediately
while the legal battle continues.
Two U.S. appeals courts had upheld lower court decisions
halting the ban to allow legal challenges on the basis of religious
discrimination. The Trump administration appealed to the Supreme Court.
The March 6 executive order had banned the new visas from being
issued to people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days.
It also sought to halt issuances of new refugee admissions
from around the world for 120 days.
The order was, however, blocked by federal judges before
going into effect on March 16 as planned.
Trump issued the order amid rising international concern
about attacks carried out by Islamist militants like those in Paris, London,
Brussels, Berlin and other cities.
Trump signed the order as a replacement for a January 27
order issued a week after he became president, but it was also blocked by
federal courts.
By Wale Odunsi
