The U.S. Supreme Court will not hear oral arguments over President Trump’s controversial travel ban in light of new travel restrictions issued by the Trump administration that may render the case moot.
President Trump released new regulations Sept. 24 that prohibit travel to the United States from seven countries, most of which were covered in his original travel ban. Those include citizens of Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Chad, and North Korea. In addition, citizens of Iraq and certain citizens of Venezuela will face restrictions or heightened scrutiny when traveling to the United States.
The new travel restrictions do not apply to legal permanent residents of the United States who are from the affected countries, nor to current visitors who have valid visas. That means medical students already in the United States can finish their education, and employees of U.S. businesses from the targeted countries may stay in the country as long as their documentation remains valid.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Sept. 25 canceled oral arguments in the case of Trump v. Hawaii et al. , which had challenged the second iteration of the president’s travel ban issued in March. Justices asked that each party file briefs by Oct. 5, addressing whether the legal challenge is now moot.
Unlike his two previous bans, President Trump’s new travel restrictions give each country its own set of travel restrictions. Most of the regulations prohibit immigration to the United States permanently and ban such nationals from working, studying, or visiting the United States.
Iran, however, will still be able to send its residents on student exchanges to the United States, although they will be subject to enhanced screening and vetting requirements. Certain Venezuelan government officials and their families are barred from coming to the United States under the new rules, and Somalian citizens will no longer be able to immigrate to America, but they can visit with heightened vetting.
The new order takes effect Oct. 18.
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