Thread by @SirineShebaya

Today @MuslimAdvocates & Lotfi Legal filed the first legal challenge to the Trump Administration’s implementation of the #MuslimBan on behalf of 36 USCs, LPRs, and Iranian, Libyan, Somali, Syrian, and Yemeni individuals whose visas have been denied or stalled under the ban /1

https://twitter.com/dlind/status/1023691942725668865

The lawsuit is a class action on behalf of both US-based relatives and impacted people from the 5 countries. Now that SCOTUS has allowed the ban to remain in effect indefinitely, the least the Trump admin can do is live up to its own law /2

The Proclamation says that every applicant will be considered for a case-by-case waiver if they meet three criteria. But the agencies haven’t put in place a process by which people can submit an application or documents or anything that would allow them to show that they do. /3

Instead, it’s issued blanket denials; given completely conflicting and contradictory information; and left people stranded in desperate circumstances all around the world without any recourse or any transparency or process. /4

One man is stranded in Djibouti with his wife, who gave birth in a cab because they couldn’t find a way to get to the hospital in time. Another is still waiting for her husband to be allowed to come home so that he can meet his infant son. /5

Still others have been separated from parents, siblings, children; denied once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to come for business or professional opportunities. Through this process the administration has banned a world-class violinist; a renowned scientist; a health researcher. /6

When defending against legal challenges to the ban, the government said they had a full and fair waiver process. And SCOTUS accepted that statement. The reality proves otherwise. So we’re taking the Trump administration to court. /7

We’re telling the government; give people the process you promised. It’s the least you can do. We’ll keep fighting on behalf of our 36 clients and everyone else whose life has cruelly and unjustly been upended by this ban. /8

Read the complaint here: muslimadvocates.org/wp-content/upl… /9

And keep standing with us and with the USCs, LPRs, and Iranian, Libyan, Somali, Syrian, and Yemeni communities on whose behalf we bring this fight. /end