Trump’s Revised Travel Ban Temporarily Blocked by Federal Judge in Hawaii
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Editor’s note: This story is still developing.
President Trump’s revised travel ban has been temporarily struck down by a federal judge in Hawaii. The modified ban, which is facing legal challenges in numerous courtrooms across the country, was blocked late Wednesday afternoon.
The New York Times reports:
Administration lawyers argued in multiple courts on Wednesday that the president was merely exercising his national security powers and that no element of the executive order, as written, could be construed as a religious test for travelers.
But in the lawsuit brought by Hawaii’s attorney general, Doug Chin, Judge Derrick K. Watson appeared skeptical of the government’s claim that past comments by Mr. Trump and his allies had no bearing on the case.
The first travel ban underwent modifications after it was struck down in early February on constitutional grounds. The Trump administration hoped the second iteration, which affects travelers and refugees from six majority-Muslim countries, would stand up in court.
The revised travel ban would have gone into effect at the close of the day Wednesday.
The American Civil Liberties Union cheered the news on Twitter:
Hurray for Hawaii. Trump's Muslim ban BLOCKED! #NoBanNoWallNoRaids— ACLU of Maryland (@ACLU_MD) March 15, 2017
Trump, who is set to be interviewed on Tucker Carlson’s show on Fox News on Wednesday night, has not yet commented on the Hawaii ruling.
—Posted by Emma Niles