Muslim Ban 3.0 should not proceed even temporarily, ACLU-NJ says

NEWARK – The U.S. Supreme Court was wrong on Monday to allow the third Muslim Ban to go into effect even temporarily, the ACLU of New Jersey said in response to the decision to allow the travel restrictions to proceed during court challenges to the policy.

“The president was wrong by instituting a policy of discrimination against travelers from largely majority-Muslim countries, and the U.S. Supreme Court was wrong not to put the brakes on the Muslim Ban as it goes through the courts,” said ACLU-NJ Executive Director Amol Sinha. “This decision may be temporary, but it’s still deeply misguided. Allowing the Muslim Ban to go forward despite its clear constitutional problems adds another ugly chapter to a policy that will go down as one of our country’s most shameful.”

The ACLU-NJ and other immigrants’ rights organizations, including partner organizations from the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, provided volunteer legal assistance at Newark Liberty International Airport earlier this year following the rollout of previous incarnations of the Muslim Ban. Lawyers from the ACLU-NJ, based in Newark, plan to continue working in partnership with allies to provide legal assistance to people affected by the ban. Newark Liberty International remains one of the largest ports of entry in the country, with more than 11 million international passengers annually in 2014.

“The fight is far from over,” said ACLU-NJ Senior Staff Attorney Farrin Anello, whose work focuses on defending the rights of immigrants. “Our colleagues at the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, ACLU of Marlyand, and National Immigration Law Center will be arguing against the Muslim Ban in court on Friday. Here in New Jersey, we will continue to fight for the rights of Muslim and immigrant New Jerseyans, and the rights of refugees, students, workers, and families from Muslim-majority countries who are simply seeking the right to be treated fairly and equally under our immigration laws. This ban is wrong, and today’s decision is wrong. History will bear that out.”