‘Ridiculous decision’ to SC order: Key dates in Trump’s Muslim travel ban
Three versions of US President’s travel ban were successfully blocked by the courts.
world Updated: Dec 05, 2017 13:44 IST
Three versions of Donald Trump’s travel ban--the most controversial of the US President’s executive orders--were successfully blocked by the courts, before the Supreme Court allowed the third to take effect on Monday, pending appeals.
The US court said the government could fully enforce the revised ban on travellers from six mainly Muslim countries pending appeal, backing President Trump in the year-long battle over the controversial measure.
The court stayed October rulings from two lower courts that had blocked implementation of the ban on visitors from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen while legal challenges to it continued.
The ban also covers people from North Korea and a selection of senior officials from Venezuela, but its main focus is travellers from the six mainly Muslim countries.
Trump has battled to implement a travel ban since just after he became president on January 20, after having repeatedly promised during last year’s election campaign to ban all Muslims from entering the United States.
This timeline summarises Trump’s legal battle, which has spanned most of his time in office.
January 27, 2017: Trump signs an executive order, “Protecting the nation from foreign terrorist entry into the United States.” The order closes the US border to citizens of seven countries--Yemen, Syria, Libya, Iran, Sudan, Somalia and Iraq--for three months, and to all refugees for four months. Chaos ensues in airports, while the decision sparks outrage across the world.
February 3: A federal judge in Seattle blocks enforcement of the ban. Trump says the decision is “ridiculous” and brands Judge James Robart a “so-called judge.”
February 9: A federal appeals court in San Francisco upholds the suspension. “SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!”, Trump tweets in response.
March 6: The president signs a second version of the ban, forbidding travellers from six Muslim-majority countries from entering the US for 90 days. Iraq is removed from the initial list.
March 16: Another judge, this time in Hawaii, blocks the second version of the ban. A Maryland judge makes a similar decision, and says the text is discriminatory against Muslims. The Trump administration announces it intends to appeal.
May 25: An appeals court in Richmond, Virginia, upholds the suspension of the second version, snubbing the president once again.
June 26: Trump wins a victory in the Supreme Court, which rules in favor of partially enforcing the ban upon travellers “who lack any bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States.”
September 24: The president signs a third executive order, permanently prohibiting citizens of Yemen, Syria, Libya, Iran, Somalia, North Korea and Chad, along with some government officials from Venezuela, in the name of poor security and lack of cooperation with US authorities.
October 17: A federal judge from Hawaii blocks the third version of the ban.
November 13: A San Francisco appeals court authorizes limited implementation of the order -- excluding grandparents, grandchildren, brothers- and sisters-in-law, aunts and uncles, nephews, nieces and cousins of people in the US.
December 4: The Supreme Court authorises full enforcement of the travel ban’s third version pending appeal. The White House says it is “not surprised” by the ruling, adding, “The proclamation is lawful and essential to protecting our homeland.”