Supreme Court Allows Strict Enforcement of Refugee Ban

(CN) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted the Trump administration’s request to more strictly enforce its ban on refugees, but said it must allow broader exemptions to the president’s travel ban for family members, including grandparents.

The justices are leaving in place a lower court order that makes it easier for travelers from six mostly Muslim countries to enter the United States.

The high court acted Wednesday on the administration’s appeal of last week’s ruling by U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson that required the government to allow in refugees formally working with a resettlement agency in the United States.

Watson also vastly expanded the family relations that refugees and visitors can use to get into the country.

The justices said the Ninth Circuit should now consider the appeal.

Trump’s order affects people from Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia.

Three conservative justices, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, said Wednesday they would have allowed the travel ban to remain in effect as it applies to grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.