Muslim Rights Advocates React to Trump's Immigration Order Approval

A group of Muslim rights advocates in the U.S. states that the Supreme Court's approval of Donald Trump's immigration order, which bans travelers from several Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S., is 'not the end of the road' and is a step towards electing a new Congress that will guide the American people in a different direction. According to the Associated Press, Wilfredo Ruiz, spokesperson for the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Florida, said that opponents of this ban 'will now seek to elect representatives in the November midterm elections who have different views on immigration and civil rights.' Ruiz added that the majority of Supreme Court justices 'chose to ignore Donald Trump's statements against Muslims during the 2016 campaign and preferred to overlook his animosity towards Muslims.' He stated, 'Trump's biased approach should have been as clear to the Supreme Court justices as it is to Muslims.' A civil rights attorney also expressed strong regret over the Supreme Court's decision. Lee Gelernt, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, told the Associated Press, 'This situation shows that there is no resemblance between the Supreme Court's decision and what seems to be common sense to Americans.' The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected the petition of opponents who believe that Trump discriminated against Muslims with this order and exceeded the legal powers of the president. Trump expressed satisfaction with the Supreme Court's ruling, tweeting: 'The Supreme Court upheld the Trump travel ban. Great.' However, Gelernt protested this ruling, stating, 'It is clear that the president acted for political purposes in imposing this ban on Muslims, contrary to the advice of security experts, both Democrat and Republican, who opposed this decision.' He added that it is still too early to decide on the next steps for the ACLU in this matter. The Associated Press also reported on the statements of an Iranian residing in the United States, describing the emotional burden that the president's immigration order has placed on her. Maryam Bahramipour, who now lives in Michigan with her husband, stated that with the Supreme Court's ruling, she can no longer return to Iran to visit her mother, who has suffered a stroke. She says she is 'very sad': 'I don't know what to do. I really don't know. Now everything has become official, and I have no way out.' Ms. Bahramipour holds an H-4 visa due to her husband's employment in the U.S., which is granted to immediate family members of those working in the U.S. The U.S. president claims that his immigration and visa policy is essential for 'defending the country against terrorism.' The U.S. government, in its appeal to the Supreme Court, stated that Trump's executive order 'is based on national security and foreign policy issues, not on religious intentions.' The Supreme Court stated in its ruling that opponents failed to demonstrate that this order is inconsistent with U.S. immigration law or the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution regarding discrimination among religions.