SUPREME COURT NOVEMBER 22, 2019 / 12:00 PM / UPDATED 19 HOURS AGO

U.S. Supreme Court to hear Trump appeal in 'no-fly list' suit

Andrew Chung
3 MIN READ

(Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a bid by President Donald Trump’s administration to shield FBI agents from a lawsuit by three American Muslim men who said they were placed on the government’s “no-fly list” for refusing to become informants.

The justices will take up the administration’s appeal of a lower court ruling allowing the men, all U.S. citizens or permanent residents who were born abroad, to sue under a 1993 federal law called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

The law was aimed at ensuring that the government had compelling reasons to substantially burden any person’s exercise of religion. At issue is a part of the law that provides for “appropriate relief against a government,” without defining what type of relief may be appropriate.

The Manhattan-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2018 ruled that New York City residents Muhammad Tanvir and Jameel Algibhah and Connecticut resident Naveed Shinwari could pursue their lawsuit. They are seeking monetary damages, saying they were put on the no-fly list despite no evidence showing they threatened airline or passenger safety.

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