OutRight Action International: LGBTIQ People Will Suffer from SCOTUS Decision to Uphold Travel Ban

Today the Supreme Court of the US upheld President Trump’s travel ban which strictly limits travel to the US from five majority Muslim nations as well as North Korea and Venezuela, in the name of national security and “counter-terrorism.” The restricted majority-Muslim nations are Syria, Libya, Iran, Yemen, and Somalia. Although the ban has been contested on the grounds of religious discrimination, the Supreme Court today ruled that such a decree, on the basis of national security, is within the President’s authority.

Jessica Stern, Executive Director, OutRight Action International commented on the ban saying,

“It is deeply distressing that the Supreme Court has voted to uphold this ban that institutionalizes xenophobia under the guise of ‘national security.’ As much as Judge Kennedy claims the ban is “neutral on its face,” we know it is meant to target a specific group - Muslims.

Anyone seeking refuge from violence and persecution, including LGBTIQ individuals who face criminalization in five of the countries on the list, now has one more door closed in their face. ”