Legal Community Reacts to Trump Immigration Executive Order

Last Friday, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order temporarily banning immigrants and refugees from 7 Muslim countries.

The negative reaction from the legal community has been swift:

• Canadian Bar Association statement: "While the US government has now given high-level assurances that the order does not apply to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, it seems to be based on the national interest exemption in the order and determined case-by-case with no clear procedures. Individuals may still face issues at ports of entry. We also urge the government to examine the impact of the order on agreements and policies between Canada and the US, including the Safe Third Country Agreement."
• Canadian lawyers have important role following Trump immigration order (Canadian Lawyer magazine blog): "Canadian lawyers will have important work ahead of them as a result of a controversial executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump, says Sukanya Pillay, executive director and general counsel of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association... The CCLA is calling on the Canadian government to take eight steps in the wake of the order, including boosting the number of refugees accepted into the country and implementing procedures to take applications from asylum seekers impacted by the ban."
• At least five judges block Trump's immigration order; more than 4,000 lawyers volunteer (ABA Journal): "Groups seeking to provide legal help, in addition to the ACLU, include the National Immigration Law Center and the International Refugee Assistance Project. In a conference call on Sunday, group officials said rotating shifts of lawyers are stationed at major airports, and another 2,000 lawyers have volunteered, according to the National Law Journal. Lawyers at the airports are holding signs in different languages offering help. Lawyers from top law firms are among those filing lawsuits on behalf of immigrants affected by the ban and providing pro bono assistance. They include lawyers from Mayer Brown, Kirkland & Ellis, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld."
• Federal law gives Trump broad immigration authority, but critics see these legal impediments (ABA Journal): "President Donald Trump cited a federal law giving him broad immigration authority when he issued his executive order on Friday that temporarily blocks refugees and immigrants from seven mostly Muslim countries from entering the United States."
• Big Law Responds to Trump’s Immigration Executive Order (Bloomberg Law): "It’s a busy time to be a pro bono lawyer.After President Donald Trump issued an executive order Friday to severely limit immigration from seven Muslim-majority nations, lawyers across Big Law jumped in to help travelers, visa and green card holders, who faced uncertainty and deportation in the wake of the order that was soon followed by federal rulings staying parts of the action."
• The Airport Cases: What Happened, and What’s Next? (Just Security, online forum on U.S. national security law and policy based at the New York University School of Law): "In case you’ve had trouble keeping score (I know I have), I thought it would be useful to start the week with a brief post recapping the work of the courts (and the lawyers) on Saturday and Sunday, where things stand as we head into the work week, and what the big questions are for the next few days." 
• Civil Rights Challenges to Trump Immigration/Refugee Orders (University of Michigan Law School Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse): "Legal challenges ensued immediately; information on them will be kept current in the cases linked below. On Saturday and Sunday Jan. 28-29, alone, over 30 cases were filed. It will take us some time to incorporate all of these into the Clearinghouse fully, but in the meantime, we've posted a list..."
• Resources Related to President Trump’s Immigration Executive Order (U. of Baltimore Law Library Blog