U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Trumps Travel Ban on Several Muslim-Majority Countries

 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday handed Donald Trump one of the biggest victories of his presidency, upholding his travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority countries.

The 5-4 ruling, with the court’s five conservatives in the majority, ends for now a fierce fight in the courts over whether the policy represented an unlawful Muslim ban.

US President Donald Trump can now claim vindication after lower courts had blocked his travel ban announced in September, as well as two prior versions, in legal challenges brought by the state of Hawaii and others.

The White House maintains the ban targets individuals from countries that have failed to provide enough information to allow for proper vetting of prospective travellers.

Trump also says it is needed on matters of national security.

The current ban, announced in September, prohibits entry into the US by most people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen.

Reporting Lawrence Hurley – Reuters