Thursday, June 15, 2017

Trump Extends Effective Date of Travel Ban To Prevent Case From Becoming Moot

President Trump yesterday issued a Memorandum (full text) designed to prevent a dismissal on mootness grounds of the government's attempt to obtain Supreme Court review of the constitutionality of his second travel ban Executive Order.  The major provisions of the travel ban imposed a 90-day suspension of entry into the country of nationals of six Muslim-majority nations, and a 120-day suspension of the entry of refugees, both to be measured from the March 16, 2017 effective date of the Order.  The new Memorandum issued June 14 provides:
In light of questions in litigation about the effective date of the enjoined provisions and in the interest of clarity, I hereby declare the effective date of each enjoined provision to be the date and time at which the referenced injunctions are lifted or stayed with respect to that provision.  To the extent it is necessary, this memorandum should be construed to amend the Executive Order.
Lyle Denniston has more on the President's action.