Attorney General 'deeply disappointed' in Supreme Court decision on Trump travel ban

OLYMPIA, Wash. --  State Attorney General Bob Ferguson said Monday he was "deeply disappointed" that the U.S. Supreme Court allowed a limited version of President Donald Trump's travel ban to go into effect, but glad that "important protections" were left in place for Washington's families, schools and businesses.

The court ruled earlier Monday that Trump's ban on visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen can be enforced temporarily if those visitors lack a "credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States."

The court, meanwhile, will consider the full case in October.



“The Trump Administration has insisted from the start that this executive order is not reviewable by the courts. As I’ve repeatedly said, this is not the law and cannot be the law.  By agreeing to review these challenges, the U.S. Supreme Court signaled today that it rejects the Administration’s argument,” Ferguson said.

“The high court left in place portions of the lower court injunctions that provide important protections for individuals connected to Washington's families, schools and businesses. Although I’m deeply disappointed that the injunctions were narrowed and the travel ban will partly go into effect, the protections that remain are significant.

“My legal team and I will continue fighting to uphold the constitution and the rule of law. If any Washingtonian, employer or university in the state thinks they have a relationship to someone who is being denied access to this country, please notify my office.”

In January, Ferguson filed a lawsuit challenging the legality and constitutionality of President Trump’s original travel ban. At the same time, he sought a temporary restraining order blocking its implementation.

U.S. District Court Judge James Robart granted the nationwide temporary restraining order. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the order. In order to grant the temporary restraining order, the judges had to find that Ferguson’s lawsuit against the Administration was likely to succeed.

The Trump Administration dropped its appeal, and, Ferguson said, reimbursed the Washington State Attorney General’s Office for its court costs.

Trump then issued a revised travel ban, which is still being fought in the court system.