Case Overview

Muslim Advocates and its co-counsel filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of individuals who have been denied waivers under President Trump’s Muslim Ban.

Muslim Advocates and co-counsel, Lofti Legal LLC and Immigrant Advocacy & Litigation Center PLLC, filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of individuals whose visa applications were wrongfully denied or stalled by the federal government’s failure to provide fair and meaningful access to case-by-case waivers from the travel ban. The plaintiffs – 34 U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and Iranian, Libyan, Somali, Syrian, and Yemeni foreign nationals – come from all walks of life and have, without reason or justification, had waivers denied or stalled despite chronic medical conditions, prolonged family separations, significant business interests, or extraordinary talents that would contribute greatly to the United States in fields like medicine, science, and music.

The lawsuit represents the first challenge to the government’s ongoing implementation of President Trump’s Muslim Ban since the Supreme Court’s June 26, 2018 decision that affirmed the legality of the policy. The case-by-case waiver process remains the only way that people blocked under the Muslim Ban can enter the United States.

Case Details

Date filed: March 3, 2018

Court(s): United States District Court for the Northern District of California

Co-Counsel: Mayer Brown LLP and Lotfi Legal, LLC