Politics

DOJ Will Seek Supreme Court Review Of Travel Ban

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Alex Pfeiffer White House Correspondent
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The Department of Justice will seek a Supreme Court review of the court decision to uphold an injunction against President Trump’s executive order that temporarily blocks refugee entry and the immigration of certain nationalities.

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia decided against the executive order, citing Trump’s campaign statements about banning Muslims. “We need not probe anyone’s heart of hearts to discover the purpose of [this executive order], for President Trump and his aides have explained it on numerous occasions and in no uncertain terms,” Circuit Court Chief Judge Roger Gregory wrote in his opinion.

The president put out a revamped executive order on the issue after his first one was struck down by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington. That court will also hear an appeal by the DOJ about another injunction on the order.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions responded to the Virginia appeals court decision in a statement that said, “President Trump’s executive order is well within his lawful authority to keep the Nation safe.”

“The Department of Justice strongly disagrees with the decision of the divided court, which blocks the President’s efforts to strengthen this country’s national security,” Sessions added. “As the dissenting judges explained, the executive order is a constitutional exercise of the President’s duty to protect our communities from terrorism. The President is not required to admit people from countries that sponsor or shelter terrorism, until he determines that they can be properly vetted and do not pose a security risk to the United States.”

The attorney general went on to say that the DOJ will “seek review of this case in the United States Supreme Court.”