WASHINGTON, DC - On June 26, the U.S. Supreme Court decided the case of Trump v. Hawaii, which involves a challenge to President Donald Trump's Proclamation No. 9645 restricting travel from several predominantly Muslim-majority countries.  The Supreme Court in a 5-4 ruling upheld the travel ban.

Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Migration, and Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, chair of the USCCB Committee for Religious Liberty, issued the following joint statement:

"The travel ban targets Muslims for exclusion, which goes against our country's core principle of neutrality when it comes to people of faith.  We are disappointed in the Court's ruling because it failed to take into account the clear and unlawful targeting of a specific religious group by the government.  The Catholic Church takes a strong stand against religious discrimination, and we will continue to advocate for the rights of people of all faiths, as well as serve migrants and refugees through our various ministries."

The USCCB, Catholic Charities USA, and Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) filed a friend-of-the-court brief before the Supreme Court advocating that the travel ban be struck down as a violation of the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.  The full text of the brief is available online: http://www.usccb.org/about/general-counsel/amicus-briefs/upload/usccb-scotus-amicus-brief-20180330-as-filed.pdf