Washington, DC—Following the Supreme Court’s decision on Trump v. Hawaii to uphold the Trump Administration’s Muslim ban in a 5-4 vote, the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans issued the following statement:

The Court’s decision is deeply disappointing and erodes the foundation of an America that embraces diversity.  The Muslim ban has been a part of a broad effort by President Trump both to discriminate against an entire religious group and to maintain a strong anti-immigrant stance. Future generations will see this as a deeply shameful moment in our history in which the Executive Branch and the highest court perpetuated systemic discrimination.
 
The Supreme Court has doubled down on the wrong side of history by effectively signaling that the words of a President are mutually exclusive from his actions. The Court’s unwillingness to acknowledge the parallels in motivation behind the Muslim ban and the internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II, makes hollow their acknowledgement that Korematsu v. United States was wrong. They have simply put a judicial stamp of approval on Korematsu by another name.
 
“Facially neutral policies cease to be such when they are rooted in hate and bigotry,” said NCAPA National Director Gregg Orton. “For the Supreme Court to judge Trump’s Muslim ban on the facts, and ignore the most important fact, which is we have a President who does little to hide his racist worldview, is a painful reminder that jurisprudence divorced from context can have devastating implications. If people are to believe that our democracy works because we are a system of checks and balances, one has to wonder, who will check a President who has shown contempt for any check or balance on his power?”