Ahead of Supreme Court Hearing, Attorney General Becerra Files Opposition to Trump’s Muslim Travel Ban

Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

United States Supreme Court to hear arguments on October 10

SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, along with 17 States, today filed an amicus brief with the United States Supreme Court opposing the Trump Administration’s effort to impose a travel ban on people from six predominantly Muslim countries. The Supreme Court will hear arguments on the case on October 10.

In the brief, Attorney General Becerra and 17 of his fellow attorneys general argue that the travel ban is unconstitutional, and that the Court should uphold two nationwide preliminary injunctions issued by district courts in Hawai'i and Maryland that are blocking the Trump Administration from enforcing the ban. The brief explains that if the ban were to go into effect, it would inflict immediate and substantial harms on the States, on state institutions like public hospitals and universities, and on state residents.

“We believe the Supreme Court should, once and for all, put an end to this disgraceful period in our country’s history,” said Attorney General Becerra. “President Trump’s Muslim travel ban is unconstitutional, blatantly discriminatory and a betrayal of our nation’s values. In California, we embrace people from around the world who want to build our state and contribute to our economy. We won’t let President Trump change who we are.”

Joining Attorney General Becerra in filing the amicus brief were the attorneys general from New York, Illinois, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and the District of Columbia.

Attorney General Becerra has been fighting Trump’s Muslim travel ban since shortly after the President issued the Executive Order. California is a plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging the travel ban, and, along with his fellow attorneys general, Attorney General Becerra has filed amicus briefs in support of other challenges at every level of the federal court system. 

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