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Local Groups Urge Hope After Supreme Court OKs President’s Travel Ban

By Brandon Smith, IPB News | Published on in Faith and Religion, Government, Statewide News
From left, ACLU of Indiana's Gavin Rose, Exodus Refugee Immigration's Sara Hindi, and Muslim Alliance of Indiana's Aliya Amin discuss the Supreme Court's decision on Pres. Trump's Muslim travel ban. (Brandon Smith/IPB News)
From left, ACLU of Indiana's Gavin Rose, Exodus Refugee Immigration's Sara Hindi, and Muslim Alliance of Indiana's Aliya Amin discuss the Supreme Court's decision on Pres. Trump's Muslim travel ban. (Brandon Smith/IPB News)

Indiana Muslim and refugee organization leaders say they’re disappointed the Supreme Court upheld President Donald Trump’s ban on travel from several predominantly Muslim nations.

The groups say despite what the court ruled, the ban is a “racist and discriminatory policy.”

Sara Hindi is the community engagement coordinator for Exodus Refugee Immigration, based in Indianapolis. She says the Supreme Court’s ruling creates a harsh reality for refugee families living in the Hoosier State – America won’t welcome the family members they left behind.

“We urge Congress to hold the administration accountable, to support this bipartisan history of welcoming refugees,” Hindi says.

Hindi says the number of refugees Exodus welcomed this fiscal year is down by about 60 percent from the last fiscal year.

Muslim Alliance of Indiana Executive Director Aliya Amin says she wants those both in the U.S. and abroad to remain hopeful.

“The American people have used their voice to create change and I think this is a perfect time for everyone to step up,” Amin says.

Amin says her group will organize a letter-writing campaign to urge Congressional action.