Supreme Court allows full enforcement of Trump travel ban

THE HINDU, 06th DECEMBER, 2017- The U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to fully enforce its revised ban on people from eight nations from travelling to the country. The third iteration of the travel ban — after the first two were blocked by the judiciary — has been partially in force already.

The SC order has not explained the reasons for its decision but nudged the lower courts that are hearing the arguments on the merit of the case to move faster. Two appeals courts are expected to hear arguments in separate cases, challenging the ban this week. President Donald Trump’s decision has been challenged on questions such as his legal authority to issue such an order and whether it constitutes a religious test and a Muslim ban, as promised by Mr. Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign. The Trump administration has argued before the courts that the travel ban is for national security.

Six of the eight countries barred by the order are majority-Muslim — Syria, Libya, Iran, Yemen, Chad and Somalia. North Korea and Venezuela are the other two. The SC order, supported by seven of the nine judges, increases the chances of the administration winning the case on merit as and when it reaches the highest court.