U.S. ‘Travel Ban’ Argued in Court

Tawfik Assali, 21, center, of Allentown, Pa.,
Tawfik Assali, 21, center, of Allentown, Pa., embraces his sister Sarah Assali, 19, upon her and other family members' arrival from Syria at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on Feb. 6, 2017. Right is Mathew Assali, 17. Attorneys said Dr. Assali's brothers, their wives and their two teenage children returned to Syria after they were denied entrance to the United States on Jan. 28 although they had visas in hand after a 13-year effort. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
Tawfik Assali, 21, center, of Allentown, Pa.,
Tawfik Assali, 21, center, of Allentown, Pa., embraces his sister Sarah Assali, 19, upon her and other family members' arrival from Syria at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on Feb. 6, 2017. Right is Mathew Assali, 17. Attorneys said Dr. Assali's brothers, their wives and their two teenage children returned to Syria after they were denied entrance to the United States on Jan. 28 although they had visas in hand after a 13-year effort. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

U.S. ‘Travel Ban’ Argued in Court

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An appeals court in San Francisco hears legal arguments Tuesday on President Donald Trump’s executive order blocking some non-citizens from entering the United States.

Critics call the order a de facto “Muslim ban”.  The U.S. government denies singling out Muslims. 

In Seattle, U.S. District Court Judge James Robart, halted the order last Friday. In their suit, the states of Washington and Minnesota have used Mr. Trump’s own words from interviews, speeches and news conferences as proof of government intent to ban Muslim entrance into the U.S. 

We talk about the legal process of President Trump’s executive order with Baher Azmy, legal director at the Center for Constitutional Rights.