U.S. President Donald Trump says a temporary restraining order out of Washington state against his executive order on travel and immigration is the opinion of a “so-called judge” and that the “ridiculous” ruling will be overturned.
U.S. District Judge James Robart in Seattle on Friday ordered a halt “on a nationwide basis” to enforcement of Trump’s controversial travel ban on citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries.
The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!
Interesting that certain Middle-Eastern countries agree with the ban. They know if certain people are allowed in it’s death & destruction!
When a country is no longer able to say who can, and who cannot , come in & out, especially for reasons of safety &.security – big trouble!
The judge sided with Washington and Minnesota, two states that had standing to challenge the executive order, which has launched legal battles across the country. Robart said they showed their case was likely to succeed.
Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson had said the travel ban significantly harms residents and effectively mandates discrimination.
“The law is a powerful thing — it has the ability to hold everybody accountable to it, and that includes the president of the United States,” Ferguson said.
Protesters marched from the U.S. Embassy to the Houses of Parliament in central London during a demonstration against Donald Trump. They chanted ‘Theresa May, shame on you!’ (Jack Taylor/Getty Images)
The conflict between the judge’s order and Trump’s ban has left authorities, advocates, embassies and airlines wondering what to do Saturday.
An internal email circulated among Homeland Security officials Friday night told employees to immediately comply with the judge’s ruling. However, the U.S. embassy in Baghdad said Saturday that they’re still awaiting guidance on what to tell Iraqis eager to see if their visa restrictions had changed.
Airlines respond
“We don’t know what the effect will be, but we’re working to get more information,” the embassy told The Associated Press in a statement.
However, a pair of prominent Middle Eastern air carriers announced they would begin allowing passengers from the seven affected countries. Both Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways, national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, said U.S.-bound passengers from those countries with valid visas would be allowed to travel. In Egypt, Cairo airport and airline officials said they have received instructions from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to suspend President Trump’s executive order.
Government-backed Qatar Airways is one of a handful of Mideast airlines operating direct daily flights to multiple American cities. Its U.S. destinations from its Doha hub include New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and Washington.
Air France said on Saturday it had reopened U.S.-bound flights to passengers affected by Trump’s travel ban.
“Starting today we are implementing this court decision,” Air France spokesman Herve Erschler said. “Nationals from the countries concerned are being authorised to fly once again to the United States, providing their papers and visas are in order.”
A State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the matter is under litigation, said Friday: “We are working closely with the Department of Homeland Security and our legal teams to determine how this affects our operations. We will announce any changes affecting travelers to the United States as soon as that information is available.”
In their arguments to the court, Washington state and Minnesota said the temporary ban on entry for people from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen and the global suspension of the U.S. refugee program significantly harms residents and effectively mandates discrimination.
After the ruling, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson said people from the affected countries can now apply for entry to the U.S.
The judge’s ruling could be appealed the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Federal attorneys had argued that Congress gave the president authority to make decisions on national security and immigrant entry.
But in his written order released late Friday, Robart said it’s not the court’s job to “create policy or judge the wisdom of any particular policy promoted by the other two branches,” but rather, to make sure that actions taken by the executive or legislative branches “comports with our country’s laws.”
Court challenges of the ban have been filed nationwide from states and advocacy groups. Washington Solicitor General Noah Purcell said his state’s focus is the way the president’s order targets Islam.
Trump has called for a ban on Muslims entering the country, and the travel ban was an effort to make good on that campaign promise, Purcell told the judge.
“Do you see a distinction between campaign statements and the executive order?” Robart asked. “I think it’s a bit of a reach to say the president is anti-Muslim based on what he said in New Hampshire in June.”
Purcell said there is an “overwhelming amount of evidence” to show the order is unconstitutionally directed at the Muslim religion.
The judge then questioned the federal government’s lawyer, Michelle Bennett, about Trump’s rationale.
Protesters march
Robart, an appointee of President George W. Bush, asked if there had been any terrorist attacks since 9/11 by people from the seven counties listed in Trump’s order. Bennett said she didn’t know.
“The answer is none,” Robart said. “You’re here arguing we have to protect from these individuals from these countries, and there’s no support for that.”
Bennett argued that the states can’t sue on behalf of citizens, and the states have failed to show the order is causing irreparable harm.
Robart disagreed, and rejected a request from Bennett for an immediate stay of his order.
Muslims and Yemenis gather with their supporters Thursday in New York during a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump’s temporary travel ban on citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries. A U.S. judge has temporarily blocked the ban. (Kathy Willens/Associated Press)
In turn, protests against the measures continued Saturday. Thousands of people marched through central London to demand that the British government withdraw its invitation to Trump for a state visit. Plans for a visit, expected in the summer, were announced after Prime Minister Theresa May met with Trump in Washington, D.C., last month.
Legislators are expected to debate the plans to invite Trump later this month. An online petition calling for May to rescind the invite has attracted strong support, but May insists a Trump visit is welcome.