A Kinda Explainer on the Muslim Ban

Yesterday the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) made what are essentially two positions, but many are conflating into one. In Trump v. International Refugee Assistance Project, SCOTUS agreed to first, grant certiorari and hear whether the Muslim Ban issued earlier this year is legal and second to partially lift the injunction from the lower courts.

Because the procedure is a little bit complicated, people have many things confused. So here are some clarifications:

1. The initial (Executive Order) ban was for a period of 90 days to allow the government to develop new rules.
2. The countries covered are Somalia, Sudan, Iran, Syria, Yemen and Lybia
3. The initial ban exclusively targeted Muslims
4. A second ban was drafted to cure some of the legal problems found in the initial ban
5. The second ban covers EVERYONE from those six countries regardless of faith
6. Both the Fourth and the Ninth Circuits issued injunctions preventing the implementation of these Executive Orders
7. The second 90 day period expired June 14
8. A third Executive Order was drafted to state that the 90 days will start counting when a Court allows the implementation of this ban
9. To date there have been no new regulations drafted
10. SCOTUS agreed to hear arguments in October which is when the new rules should be drafted
11. Anyone with a bona fide relationship to the U.S. may proceed with their immigration cases
12. Anyone with no bona fide relationship to the U.S. from those countries will not be allowed in until further notice

In other words, this is all super ambiguous-but as of right now, if you have immediate relatives from the enumerated countries petition for them ASAP!

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