Summary: This week, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case that challenged the treatment of Muslims after 9/11.
On Tuesday, The Supreme Court agreed to combine and hear three cases that challenged President George W. Bush’s policies against “the war on terrorism.” SCOTUS’ decision reportedly will determine whether or not the Bush administration can be held liable for what happened to Muslims and illegal immigrants after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
According to USA Today, the now combined case is “unusual” for two reasons. “The Obama administration will be defending President George W. Bush’s “war on terrorism,” and two of the court’s remaining eight justices will not take part because of conflicts of interest. If the case is heard before a ninth justice is confirmed, only six justices will participate.”
Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan were the ones to already recuse themselves. Although they did not say why, USA Today said that Sotomayer sat on an appeals panel during an earlier version of the lawsuit, and Kagan was the U.S. Solicitor General during the initial stages.
The SCOTUS case will focus on former Attorney General John Ashcroft and former FBI Director Robert Mueller, who claim they cannot be sued or held accountable for the government’s alleged mistreatment of Arab men detained and investigated after September 11, 2001.
- Related: John Ashcroft to Found Law Firm
According to the Christian Science Monitor, eight plaintiffs accused Ashcroft and Mueller of detaining them for three to eight months because of their Muslim background. The plaintiffs said that during their time in captivity they were beaten, searched, and humiliated. They were all found to not have terrorist affiliations.
Past cases challenging Bush’s policies have all been won by the federal government. This includes the arrest and detention of more than 750 undocumented immigrants.
The Obama administration requested that the Supreme Court review this case after a three-judge appeals court allowed it to proceed last year.
According to the Christian Science Monitor, the case will most likely be heard in January.
Source: USA Today and The Christian Science Monitor
Photo courtesy of VOA News