TITAN vs. TITAN: President Trump and the Federal Courts Face Off Over His Temporary Travel Ban | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: Diane Rufino is a mainstay as a contributor for BCN, and we well appreciate her wisdom on a variety of issues. Follow this link to view and hear Diane's take on the Constitution and the new president in this second volume of Clarion Call, the program.


    On January 27, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order titled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States” which provides a 90-day suspension of entry into the United States for individuals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen on account of their status as posing a heightened risk of terrorism. It was the US Congress, under President Barack Obama, which had assigned this status to those seven countries.

    The Executive Order was issued after the President determined that “deteriorating conditions in certain countries due to war, strife, disaster, and civil unrest increase the likelihood that terrorists will use any means possible to enter the United States,” and that our Nation accordingly must take additional steps “to ensure that those approved for admission do not intend to harm Americans and that they have no ties to terrorism.” [see the text of the Executive Order]. Invoking his constitutional authority to control the entry of aliens into this country and congressionally-delegated authority to “suspend the entry of any class of aliens” whose entry “would be detrimental to the interests of the United States,” the President, by issuing the Executive Order, has directed a temporary 90-day suspension of entry for individuals from seven countries previously identified as posing a heightened risk of terrorism by Congress or the Executive Branch; a temporary 120-day suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program; and a suspension of entry of Syrian nationals as refugees until the President determines that measures are in place “to ensure that admission of Syrian refugees is consistent with the national interest.” Exec. Order §§ 3(c), (5)(a), (c).

    Democrats and opposition groups have nicknamed the Executive Order "the Muslim travel ban."

    Two days ago, on February 4, a federal district judge in Seattle issued a ruling - a nationwide temporary restraining order (TRO), aka, an injunction - that temporarily blocks the Executive Order. The court order prevents the president's Executive Order from going into effect and allows the immigration to move forward.

    The State Department has agreed to abide by the ruling until it files an appeal. In the meantime, the judge's decision allows tens of thousands of aliens from terrorist nations visas to travel to our country. The ruling came after Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, filed a complaint challenging the constitutionality of the Executive Order's key provisions. The TRO was issued by Seattle US District Judge James Robart pending a full review of Washington states' complaint. In response to the decision, WA Attorney General Ferguson commented: "The Constitution prevailed today. No one is above the law--not even the president."

    Minnesota joined the suit with Washington and since the TRO was issued, seven other states have decided to join and challenge the "travel ban." They want it overturned. These seven states include Washington, Virginia, Massachusetts, Hawaii, New York, Michigan, and California.

    One day, earlier, however, another district court (Massachusetts) concluded in a thorough, well-reasoned opinion, the Executive Order is a lawful exercise of the political branches' plenary control over the admission of aliens into the United States. Louhghalam v. Trump, Civ. No. 17-10154-NMG, Order 11 (D. Mass. Feb. 3, 2017)

    This article will explain why the Executive Order and the temporary travel ban is legal and appropriate and why I think it will ultimately be upheld. First, the travel ban is a proper exercise of the President's power to issue Executive Orders to "force the government to enforce laws already on the books." We will look at the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 US Section 12) and the Visa Waiver Program. Next, the travel ban is justified under the President's War Powers (we are currently engaged in a War on Terror, as admitted so by our very own Congress and presidents), his Foreign Policy powers, and his National Security Powers.

    Article II, Section 2 of the US Constitution provides the president with his powers. It reads: "The President shall be commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states, when called into the actual service of the United States; he may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices...." When the Congress vote almost unanimously to authorize military force to fight the war on terror (AMU of September 14, 2001), which is taken as a declaration of war - noting that it was a declaration of war on an ideology and a tactic of subjugation rather than on a specific country or countries - it acknowledged the United States was involved in a global war - one without boundaries. The Use of Military Force has been re-upped every year. The National Defense Authorization Act of 2014

    I. The Executive Order and What It Says (and Doesn't Say) -

   

The Executive Order, available on the White House website, reads:

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq., and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and to protect the American people from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals admitted to the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:

    Section 1. Purpose. The visa-issuance process plays a crucial role in detecting individuals with terrorist ties and stopping them from entering the United States. Perhaps in no instance was that more apparent than the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, when State Department policy prevented consular officers from properly scrutinizing the visa applications of several of the 19 foreign nationals who went on to murder nearly 3,000 Americans. And while the visa-issuance process was reviewed and amended after the September 11 attacks to better detect would-be terrorists from receiving visas, these measures did not stop attacks by foreign nationals who were admitted to the United States.

    Numerous foreign-born individuals have been convicted or implicated in terrorism-related crimes since September 11, 2001, including foreign nationals who entered the United States after receiving visitor, student, or employment visas, or who entered through the United States refugee resettlement program. Deteriorating conditions in certain countries due to war, strife, disaster, and civil unrest increase the likelihood that terrorists will use any means possible to enter the United States. The United States must be vigilant during the visa-issuance process to ensure that those approved for admission do not intend to harm Americans and that they have no ties to terrorism.

    In order to protect Americans, the United States must ensure that those admitted to this country do not bear hostile attitudes toward it and its founding principles. The United States cannot, and should not, admit those who do not support the Constitution, or those who would place violent ideologies over American law. In addition, the United States should not admit those who engage in acts of bigotry or hatred (including "honor" killings, other forms of violence against women, or the persecution of those who practice religions different from their own) or those who would oppress Americans of any race, gender, or sexual orientation.