Appeals court rules latest Trump travel ban is unconstitutional

A Virginia-based federal court of appeals on Thursday ruled the latest version of President Trump’s travel ban unconstitutional, arguing that it unlawfully discriminates against Muslims.

In a 9-4 decision, a majority of the judges on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals said it examined official statements from Trump and other executive branch officials, along with the proclamation itself, and found it “unconstitutionally tainted with animus toward Islam.”

The court is the second federal appeals court to rule against the ban.

The most recent iteration of the ban bars people from eight countries — six of which are predominantly Muslim — from coming to the U.S.

The Supreme Court had decided in December that it would allow the latest travel ban to take effect while litigation ran its course.

In late December, a panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the third iteration of Trump’s travel ban, saying it goes against federal law.

The Supreme Court last month agreed to review the legality of Trump’s travel ban and is expected in April to hear arguments regarding the order.

The Trump administration has pushed for a travel ban since the president assumed office.

The administration has argued the ban is necessary to safeguard national security, but each iteration of the ban has run into legal disputes. 

UPDATED at 11:34 a.m.