The State of Virginia has requested that a federal judge issue a "nationwide injunction" against the Muslim immigration ban imposed by President Donald Trump, who met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday. The executive order is on hold currently because of a restraining order that was upheld by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. In issuing the request for the nationwide injunction, Virginia Solicitor General Stuart Raphael stated that as he sees it, it is vitally crucial that "immigration law be uniform."
Animus towards Muslims
Attorneys representing the State of Virginia argued that there exists "overwhelming evidence" that the executive order is not "constitutional." The attorneys further argued that, as they see it, the President's executive order "resulted from animus toward Muslims." The attorneys further argued that the State of Virginia, its residents, and the public universities of the state, all would be harmed by the enforcement of the executive order.
The attorneys' arguments pertaining to the harm imposed on the people of Virginia by the executive order is clarified when one considers the fact that Muslim doctors often fill the overwhelming doctor shortage in rural communities across America, including Virginia. Also the gap in intellectual brainpower across America, especially in rural states like Virginia, is often filled by Muslim professors and students at universities.
It is for these reasons and more, that the attorneys for the State of Virginia see Trump's executive order as resulting from "animus towards Muslims." As the attorneys see it, the ban could not result from anything other than hatred of Muslims, since Muslim immigrants to the United States fill so many urgent needs across America, especially in rural states like Virginia.
National security undermined
Virginia attorney general Mark Herring, also vehemently arguing against Trump's Muslim immigration ban, stated that the ban is "conceived in religious bigotry," (ABC News, 2/10/17). Furthermore, Herring described the executive order as being dressed up "just enough to make it look legal," (ABC News, 2/10/17).
Herring made it abundantly clear that no matter how it is dressed up, Trump's executive order is not fooling him.
Trump's Twitter tantrum
Meanwhile, Trump had a "Twitter tantrum" over the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals' decision not to issue a stay on the restraining order of his Muslim immigration order. The President described the three judge panel's decision as "political" and told the judges that he would "see" them "in court." To date, Trump has not filed a lawsuit nor submitted legal arguments for a court hearing with the three judges as defendants and himself as the plaintiff. An auction of an ocean bridge in Arizona might be more likely.
