5. In a continuation of his unlawful Muslim ban, on September 24, 2017, President Trump issued the Proclamation, which suspends categorically and indefinitely, without a specified expiration date, the entry into the United States of nationals of five of the six countries included in the Second Executive Order (Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, and Somalia), as well as yet another Muslim-majority country (Chad). In an effort to disguise the Proclamation’s targeting of Muslims, the Proclamation adds North Korea, even though virtually no North Korean nationals travel to the United States, and adds Venezuela, but then imposes only limited restrictions on the non-immigrant entry of just a small group of Venezuelan government officials and their immediate family members.
6. Despite President Trump’s attempts to cloak this latest iteration of his Muslim ban in religiously neutral garb by invoking a national security review and including North Korea and Venezuela, the purpose and effect of the Proclamation remain unchanged: to keep Muslims from entering the United States.In a related lawsuit filed this week, plaintiffs sought to enforce a FOIA request for copies of reports submitted to the President by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. The reports are cited in the President's Proclamation as the basis for determining which countries should be covered by the new travel ban. Here is the complaint in the lawsuit, Brennan Center for Justice v. U.S. Department of State, (SD NY, filed 10/2/2017).
Americans United issued a press release announcing the filing of the lawsuits. The press release includes links to other relevant documents as well.
