By Kenneth White

On Wednesday the Supreme Court of the United States will be hearing a challenge to the lawfulness of President Trump’s travel ban. The case represents a test of the limits of presidential power. This is the third version of the policy being challenged by the state of Hawaii, arguing that the ban violates federal immigration law. The Supreme Court signaled it may lean toward backing Trump when it allowed the the ban to go into full affect in December regardless of pending legal cases. A separate case has been brought by the American Civil Liberties Union in Maryland.

Some former Republican senators and officials who served in George W. Bush’s administration have signed onto legal briefs asking the high court to invalidate the ban. Venezuela and North Korea were targeted by the travel ban as well but those restrictions were not challenged in court.