WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - In one of a number of high-profile moves announced on Tuesday, the Supreme Court has allowed President Donald Trump's ban on most transgender people serving in the military to take effect.
The move to allow the ban to go forward came in a 5 to 4 decision, with the Supreme Court's five conservatives permitting the policy.
The Justices did not rule directly on the case as the Trump administration requested, however, allowing cases dealing with the ban to continue moving through lower courts.
Former President Barack Obama sought to change the military's transgender policy, but Trump delayed the date when transgender individuals would be allowed to enlist and eventually announced the ban.
Preliminary injunctions granted in early cases challenging the transgender ban were lifted by today's Supreme Court decision.
Meanwhile, in a separate decision seen as a defeat for Trump, the Supreme Court did not address the administration's efforts to end the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program.
The court's inaction allows protections for young illegal immigrants brought to the country as children to remain in effect.
Trump has recently suggested he would not consider legislation to permanently protect the young immigrants known as Dreamers until the issue is ruled on by the Supreme Court.
The president's latest proposal to end the ongoing government shutdown would extend the DACA program for three years in exchange for funding for a border wall, although the plan is not expected to gain much traction in Congress.
In another notable decision by the Supreme Court, the Justices agreed to take up the first gun rights case in nine years.
The case involves a challenge to New York City's prohibition on transporting handguns outside the city limits.
The decision to take up the case comes as the court is seen as less likely to approve of gun regulations and laws following the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2019 AFX News
