SAALT Applauds Two Orders by Federal Courts Blocking Muslim Ban 3.0

October 18, 2017: In response to orders by Judge Derrick Watson of Hawaii and Judge Theodore Chuang of Maryland temporarily blocking implementation of the Trump administration’s third attempt at a Muslim Ban, Suman Raghunathan, Executive Director of South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), released the following statement:

"SAALT applauds the decisions by Judge Derrick Watson of Hawaii and Judge Theodore Chuang of Maryland to block this administration’s latest attempt at a Muslim Ban. The highest ideals of our country are rooted in the freedom to exist without fear of government persecution. Between the two orders, the courts have proclaimed that the administration overstepped its authority in issuing a ban that 'plainly discriminates based on nationality' contrary to the 'founding principles of this Nation' and that the President's own words on the campaign trail and on social media demonstrate this ban was explicitly intended to target Muslims.

The administration has labored throughout the last 9 months to implement a ban that could withstand judicial scrutiny, but the courts have not been convinced, stating vigorously that this latest ban reflects the same discriminatory intent as the two previous bans. These bans codify bigotry and xenophobia and are out of sync with our Constitution and our nation's values.

Hate violence has skyrocketed during the President's tenure in the White House, with white supremacist hate groups emboldened and encouraged by policies that demonize and paint our communities with suspicion. SAALT has documented over 184 incidents of hate violence aimed at South Asian, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Arab, and Middle Eastern Americans since the presidential elections, figures rivaling the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.

As this administration continues to pursue its discriminatory policies, we’ve seen that our communities cannot rely solely on the courts to deliver justice. We are stronger when we stand together. Today SAALT and our national partners have taken to the streets nationwide in support of the #NoMuslimBanEver campaign to demand dignity and full inclusion for our communities and all Americans. SAALT, alongside our partners, allies, and communities will continue to hold the line until justice is served for all."

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South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) is a national, nonpartisan, non-profit organization that fights for racial justice and advocates for the civil rights of all South Asians in the United States. Our ultimate vision is dignity and full inclusion for all.

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