Tag: Supreme Court of the United States

The Story: Recently the U.S. Supreme Court halted Alabama's execution of Vernon Madison in order to hear arguments that he is no longer competent to...

The Story: The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments November 29 on a constitutional controversy that could determine whether the government is empowered to track the...

The ban, now in its third version since the initial executive order in January, affects travelers from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. Certain residents of North Korea and Venezuela are also impacted. Lower courts will continue to hear arguments over the ban’s legality this week ahead of a possible final decision by the Supreme Court in June. Here are some of the early reactions to news of the Supreme Court’s decision: The White House Trump and his White House staff were “not surprised” by Monday’s order, according to a statement. “We are not surprised by today’s Supreme Court decision permitting immediate enforcement of the President’s proclamation limiting travel from countries presenting heightened risks of terrorism,” White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said. “The proclamation is lawful and essential to protecting our homeland,” Gidley added. “This is not a ruling on the merits, and we continue our fight. We are at the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday to argue that the Muslim ban should ultimately be struck down,” the ACLU’s Twitter account wrote, citing a New York Times report. “To Muslims in the United States, those kept apart from loved ones by the ban, and everyone who cherishes religious equality, we stand with you,” the ACLU added in a follow-up tweet. “We continue to fight for freedom and equality and for those who are unfairly being separated from their loved ones.

. The Supreme Court has a tough question ahead: Where do you draw the line between free speech and discrimination? Phillips claims he shouldn't be forced to under the state’s anti-discrimination law and gained a strong ally this week when the Trump administration filed a friend of the court brief on his behalf. Acting Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall and DOJ attorneys claim there is no clear line between Phillips’s speech and that of his clients when he designs and creates a custom wedding cake. These include cakes with offensive messages and cakes to celebrate Halloween. “For example, hair salons, tailors, restaurants, architecture firms, florists, jewelers, theaters and dance schools use artistic skills when serving customers or clients,” the ACLU argued in briefs. Louise Melling, ACLU's deputy legal director, said Phillips’s argument is nothing more than an argument that the U.S. Constitution protects the right to discriminate. “What’s at stake is whether a business that opens its doors to the public can turn you away for who you are,” she said. Martin Lederman, an associate professor at Georgetown Law and former deputy assistant attorney general under President Obama, said the justices are likely to unanimously agree that Phillips has an artistic ability that is entitled some First Amendment protection.