WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court this morning upheld President Donald Trumps ban on travel from several mostly Muslim countries, rejecting a challenge that it discriminated against Muslims or exceeded his authority.
The 5-4 decision Tuesday is the courts first substantive ruling on a Trump administration policy.
Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion, joined by his four conservative colleagues.
Roberts wrote that presidents have substantial power to regulate immigration. He also rejected the challengers claim of anti-Muslim bias.
But he was careful not to endorse either Trumps provocative statements about immigration in general and Muslims in particular.
We express no view on the soundness of the policy, Roberts wrote.
The travel ban has been fully in place since the court declined to block it in December. The justices allowed the policy to take full effect even as the court fight continued and lower courts had ruled it out of bounds.
Justice Sonia Soto-mayor wrote in a dissent that based on the evidence in the case a reasonable observer would conclude that the Proclamation was motivated by anti-Muslim animus.
