A U.S. judge has successfully issued a temporary block on President Donald Trump’s massive immigration ban, marking the most significant legal rebuke of the broad-reaching executive order.
The move means the Trump administration cannot hold up two key aspects of the executive order: the 90-day ban on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, and Libya from entering the U.S., and a 120-day suspension of the nation’s refugee intake program.
It’s been reported that Customs and Border Protection have already informed airlines that visas for affected individuals are already being reinstated.
The block, put into place by Judge James Robart in a Seattle court, will remain in affect until proponents of the immigration ban are able to present a legal argument in favour of it.
Alternatively, the block will fail if the White House successfully attains an emergency stay on Judge Robart’s ruling. As you may be able to guess by now, the White House has signaled its intent to fight the block.
Statement on WA court ruling: “At the earliest possible time, the Department of Justice intends to file an emergency stay of the order (1/5)
— Sean Spicer (@PressSec) February 4, 2017
Judge Robart said the government was “arguing that we have to protect the U.S. from individuals from these countries, and there’s no support for that.”
He also listed how the ban impacted families, local businesses, and educational facilities, saying “these harms are significant and ongoing.”
With any luck, that view will stand in the inevitable court battles to follow his gutsy ruling.
Source: New York Times / The Wall Street Journal.
Photo: Scott Olson / Getty.
