Trump v. Hawaii

Trump v. Hawaii, 585 U.S. 667 (2018), is a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court.

President Trump issued Proclamation 9645, restricting entry into the United States by nationals from Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen (the ‘Travel Ban’). Hawaii and other plaintiffs challenged the ban as exceeding the President’s immigration authority and as motivated by anti-Muslim animus in violation of the Establishment Clause.

Significance

Chief Justice Roberts’ 5-4 opinion upheld the Travel Ban. The Court held that the President had statutory authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act to restrict entry, and that the proclamation was facially neutral and had a national security rationale. On the Establishment Clause claim, the Court declined to look beyond the face of the proclamation to statements made by President Trump during the campaign, applying a deferential standard to national security judgments. The decision represented a significant victory for executive power over immigration.

Category

US Federal Case Law