A Galway human rights lawyer living in the USA involved in one of the cases being taken over the travel ban imposed by President Donald Trump has said the country could be facing months of uncertainty, and that it was clear that the administration had ‘no concept’ of the difficulties it would cause.
Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, originally from Na Forbacha, Co. Galway but now living in Minneapolis, was interviewed on Adhmhaidin on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta about the matter this week.
Professor Ní Aoláin was one of the lawyers involved in preparing an Amicus Brief to support the case of the State of Minnesota against an appeal by the Trump administration of the judgement passed last week that blocked the enforcement of the ban in Washington State and Minnesota, as well as across the country.
Speaking on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, Professor Ní Aoláin said she believes that the travel ban is illegal, unconstitutional and that the law forbids the implementation of such a ban.
“We could see another couple of months of this uncertainty. Because of the most recent judgement, people can enter the country again who have a legal visa and hundreds are trying to come in, but they have only a small window, which could be closed again at anytime by another court judgement.”
“This shows the lack of thought, of planning behind this Executive Order, the lack of consultation with Homeland Security and other countries. Donald Trump did this overnight. The damage done since is clear.”
“There was no concept of the difficulties that such a huge, profound change to the right of entry and exit to the United States would cause.”
“We have students, from my own university, left in countries around the world who believed they could not travel back to the US, and equally we have students here now who cannot travel home.”
“It’s likely that we will see many more cases, with many lawyers and groups getting involved, and since some of the judgements may contradict one another, it’s most likely that they will only be finally resolved by the Supreme Court in Washington, which has the power to pass a final definitive judgement on the matter.”
