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California, San Francisco Officials Decry Travel Ban Decision

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – Reaction against the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Trump travel ban Tuesday was strong in the Bay Area and across California.

An array of California officials and Bay Area Muslim groups and civil rights organizations denounced the ruling.

At a news conference Tuesday morning in front of San Francisco City Hall, attorney Ammad Raffiqi of the Council on American-Islamic Relations decried the ruling, saying, "This decision is a travesty of justice."

"The Supreme Court had an opportunity to remind us all that regardless of where we come from, that all are worthy of equality," but lost that opportunity, he said.

Raffiqi is the civil rights and legal services coordinator of CAIR's San Francisco Bay Area branch, headquartered in Santa Clara.

CAIR California has partnered with the Asian Law Caucus to fight against the Trump administrations travel ban.

Iranian-American San Francisco Supervisor Ahsha Safai stood with them.

"And we will continue to fight this, we will continue to take this to court, we will continue to take this to the streets," said Safai.

People who disagree with ruling said their fight is not over yet.

"For those who think that this decision is terrible and irrevocable, it's not that. And for the Trump supporters and Trump himself who thinks this is a victory, it's not that at all," said Don Tamaki of the group Stop Repeating History.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice issued a statement saying, "We strongly condemn the Supreme Court's decision and perpetuation of state-sanctioned discrimination as inconsistent with our Constitutional values.

"This decision greenlights religious and ethnic discrimination that runs counter to the inclusionary principles to which our country aspires," the organization said.

The group is a coalition of five affiliates, including Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus in San Francisco.

Cynthia Buiza, executive director of the Oakland-based California Immigrant Policy Center, called the ban "a profoundly Islamophobic and xenophobic policy that demonizes families, communities, and whole nationalities."

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who submitted a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of California in support of Hawaii, said, "The Supreme Court got this one wrong.

"One day, this nation and court will look back and regret this ruling that legalized discrimination," Becerra said in a statement.

The state contended in its brief that the ban will harm California universities because of the number of students from the targeted countries, and will also hurt California industries.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco said, "The Supreme Court's dangerous ruling undermines our values, our security and our Constitution.

"No matter how many times the president rewrites his un-American Muslim ban, it won't change the fact that this historic injustice is immoral and dangerous," Pelosi said.

Senator Kamala Harris wrote, "This nation was built upon the promise that people of all faiths should be welcome to our shores. Today's decision is an utter failure on that promise and an abdication of our moral leadership."

Immigration lawyers in San Francisco said the litigation will be remanded and continue to play out in lower courts.

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