Judge expands list of relatives exempted from travel ban

On June 26, 2017, the Supreme Court issued a ruling that allowed the Trump administration's travel ban to go into effect, but with certain limitations. The ruling exempted certain categories of individuals from the ban, including:

  1. Lawful permanent residents: The court ruled that lawful permanent residents (LPRs) of the United States, also known as green card holders, were exempt from the travel ban.
  2. Refugees already granted asylum: The court also exempted refugees who had already been granted asylum in the United States.
  3. Individuals with a credible claim of persecution: The court exempted individuals who had a credible claim of persecution or torture if they were seeking admission to the United States.
  4. Individuals with a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States: The court exempted individuals who had a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States, such as a family member, employer, or university.

On August 3, 2017, the Supreme Court expanded the list of relatives exempted from the travel ban. The court ruled that the following categories of individuals were also exempt:

  1. Spouses of U.S. citizens: The court ruled that spouses of U.S. citizens were exempt from the travel ban, regardless of whether they had a prior relationship with the U.S. citizen.
  2. Parents of U.S. citizens: The court also exempted parents of U.S. citizens, regardless of whether they had a prior relationship with the U.S. citizen.
  3. Children of U.S. citizens: The court exempted children of U.S. citizens, regardless of whether they had a prior relationship with the U.S. citizen.
  4. Siblings of U.S. citizens: The court also exempted siblings of U.S. citizens, regardless of whether they had a prior relationship with the U.S. citizen.

These exemptions were intended to ensure that the travel ban did not unfairly target individuals who had a legitimate reason to travel to the United States. The exemptions were also intended to allow the U.S. government to continue to admit individuals who posed no threat to national security or public safety.