SUPREME COURT/TRAVEL BAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday [6-26-18] handed Donald Trump one of the biggest victories of his presidency, upholding his travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority countries and rejecting the argument that it represented unconstitutional religious discrimination. The 5-4 ruling, with the conservative justices in the majority and the liberal justices dissenting, ended a fierce fight in the courts over whether the policy amounted to an unlawful Muslim ban, while also confirming broad presidential powers over immigration and national security policy. Trump quickly claimed ‘profound vindication’ after lower courts had blocked his travel ban announced in September, as well as two prior versions, in legal challenges brought by the state of Hawaii and others. Trump has called the travel ban necessary to protect the United States against attacks by Islamic militants. The ruling, denounced by civil rights groups and Democrats as well as protesters outside the courthouse, empowered Trump at the time when he is embroiled in controversy over his approach toward illegal immigration along the U.S.-Mexican border. Trump last week retreated on his administration’s practice of separating the children of immigrants from their parents when families were detained illegally entering the United States.”
-Lawrence Hurley, “U.S. top court backs Trump on travel ban targeting Muslim-majority nations,” Reuters, June 26, 2018 7:22 am