The Supreme Court announced today that it will review the challenge to Trump’s revised travel ban, and will keep the ban from taking effect for people who have a connection to the United States. In response, Steven Choi, Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition, issued the following statement:
"By agreeing to hear Donald Trump's discriminatory Muslim ban, the Supreme Court is ignoring the precedent set by the lower courts, which have found it to be plainly unconstitutional and wrong. In so doing, it has further confused the issue by creating an entirely new category of “bona fide relationship,” which agencies and affected individuals will struggle to make sense of. This is a flash-point for our democracy: we can either succumb to the forces of hate, or rise up to defend the values that truly make America great: opportunity and justice for all."
Those seeking legal advice for someone who may be detained at one of these airports affected by the Muslim Ban should call our hotline at 844-326-4940.
Background
In response to the enactment of Trump’s first travel ban, The New York Immigration Coalition led the #NoBanJFK movement, assisting travelers from over 20 countries and organizing hundreds of lawyers and volunteers. The protests at JFK sparked actions across the nation, including a rally held in Battery Park the next day, which drew over 30,000 people.
On Wednesday, June 28th at 7:30pm the New York Immigration Coalition and BAM will present a short film on the events at JFK, called "48 Hours of Resistance," at an event titled 48 Hours at JFK: What Now?. Following will be a panel discussion moderated by Ahmed Ali Akbar, host of BuzzFeed’s "See Something Say Something" podcast.
Since the original Muslim and refugee ban was issued five months ago, we’ve seen officers with Customs and Border Protection, and Department of Homeland Security more broadly, abuse their discretion and needlessly subject Muslim travelers to hours of questioning, handcuffing, interrogation and detention. These federal agencies will now struggle to define what a "bona fide relationship" means.
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The New York Immigration Coalition is an umbrella policy and advocacy organization for nearly 200 groups in New York State that work with immigrants and refugees.The NYIC aims to achieve a fairer and more just society that values the contributions of immigrants and extends opportunity to all by promoting immigrants’ full civic participation, fostering their leadership, and providing a unified voice and a vehicle for collective action for New York’s diverse immigrant communities.