Washington, DC | www.adc.org | April 26, 2018 | Yes, you read that headline correctly! After federal judges ruled against Trump’s Arab and Muslim Ban, many concluded the Supreme Court would strike down the Ban. Yesterday, for the first time, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the Ban, and the news is bad, very bad.
“By the end of the argument,” the New York Times wrote, “it was hard to identify five justices ready to vote to strike down the ban.” Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Kennedy, the two swing votes on the bench, were “almost uniformly hostile to the challengers” of the Ban, the Times added. During the hearing, the three conservative justices signaled their support for the Ban and Kennedy and Roberts appear likely to join them. Some legal experts no longer see a pathway to repeal the Ban.
Read ADC’s Amicus Curiae Brief
There is no way to sugarcoat this: A now-probable victory for Trump will be absolutely devastating. It will be a permission slip for Trump to extend the Ban to other Arab and Muslim countries. An emboldened Trump might target our community with other prejudiced acts. We already know that the Administration has unfairly revoked the Global Entry passes (expedited airport security) of Arab-Americans, and we can expect more mistreatment if the Ban is upheld.
Most frighteningly, a Trump victory would confer legitimacy on anti-Arab and anti-Muslim bigotry. A president who believes that Arabs and Muslims can never be true Americans and should be banned will now have the blessings of the highest court in the land. This toxic propaganda will grow even uglier. Anti-Arab and anti-Muslim forces will feel encouraged to carry out more attacks on our community. The situation is bad enough: attacks rose 15% in 2017 compared to 2016. It could, and very well may, get worse.
ADC is taking no chances! We need your generous support in this crucial mission:
- ADC will remain vigilant and fight every anti-Arab and anti-Muslim action by the Trump Administration.
- ADC will remain the first-line of defense for our community, providing pro bono legal counsel and support to combat discrimination and hate crimes.
- DC will remain the preeminent Arab-American voice in the media, Congress, and town halls across the country as we educate our fellow Americans and promote tolerance.
We urgently ask you to join us during this very worrying and tough time. Ultimately, as a proud community, we cannot depend on the good graces of the Supreme Court. We need to make sure that we are strong enough to meet any hardship no matter what the Court rules. ADC cannot do this without your help. We are a membership organization and we are only as strong as our members. PLEASE DONATE TODAY so ADC can defend Arab-American rights no matter the challenge!