Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/16pdf/16-1436_l6hc.pdf
Page Number: 5

Cite as:  582 U. S. ____ (2017) 

5 

Per Curiam 

restraining  order).  In  addition  to  the  §2(c)  suspension  of 
entry,  this  injunction  covered  the  §6(a)  suspension  of
refugee admissions, the §6(b) reduction in the refugee cap, 
and the provisions in §§2 and 6 pertaining only to internal 
executive review. 

These  orders,  entered  before  EO–2  went  into  effect, 
prevented the Government from  initiating enforcement of 
the challenged provisions.  The Government  filed appeals 
in both cases. 

The Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled first.
On May 25, over three dissenting votes, the en banc court 
issued  a  decision  in  IRAP  that  largely  upheld  the  order
enjoining enforcement of §2(c).  857 F. 3d 554.  The major-
ity  determined  that  respondent  John  Doe  #1,  a  lawful 
permanent resident whose Iranian wife is seeking entry to
the  United  States,  was  likely  to  succeed  on  the  merits  of
his  Establishment  Clause  claim.    The  majority  concluded
that  the  primary  purpose  of  §2(c)  was  religious,  in  viola-
tion of the First Amendment: A reasonable observer famil-
iar  with  all  the  circumstances—including  the  predomi-
nantly  Muslim  character  of  the  designated  countries  and 
statements  made  by  President  Trump  during  his  Presi-
dential  campaign—would  conclude  that  §2(c)  was  moti-
vated principally by a desire to exclude Muslims from the
United  States,  not  by  considerations  relating  to  national
security.  Having reached this conclusion, the court upheld
the  preliminary  injunction  prohibiting  enforcement  of 
§2(c)  against  any  foreign  national  seeking  to  enter  this 
country.

On June 1, the Government filed a petition for certiorari
seeking  review  of  the  Fourth  Circuit’s  decision.    It  also 
filed applications seeking stays of both injunctions, includ-
ing  the  Hawaii  injunction  still  pending  before  the  Ninth
Circuit.  In  addition,  the  Government  requested  that  this 
Court expedite the certiorari stage briefing.  We accordingly
directed  respondents  to  file  responses  to  the  stay  appli-