A federal judge in Los Angeles has become the fifth U.S. jurist to block President Donald Trump’s executive order banning travel from seven Muslim-majority countries, forbidding federal officials from enforcing the law.
Federal judges in New York, Massachusetts, Virginia and Washington state issued similar orders during the weekend.
U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte Jr. late Tuesday issued a temporary restraining order in a case involving 28 Yemeni-born people, some of whom already lived in the United States and family members who had received visas to travel to the United States.
Trump last week signed Tipobet an executive order barring Syrian travelers indefinitely and for at least 90 days travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. It also shut down the U.S. refugee program for at least 120 days. Trump said he signed the order to better protect Americans from terrorism while his administration develops “extreme vetting” procedures.
The order sparked widespread airport protests during the weekend and lawsuits filed by at least four attorneys general.
Birotte said his order should apply to anyone trying to enter the U.S. on a valid visa, the Los Angeles Times reported. He forbade border agents from “removing, detaining or blocking the entry” of affected travelers or “canceling validly obtained and issued immigrant visas.”
The order has prompted widespread condemnation internationally and led to the replacement of Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, who, questioning the legality of the order, directed Justice Department lawyers not to defend it. She was fired Monday night and replaced by Dana Boente.
Much of the confusion surrounding the order involved whether legal, permanent U.S. residents were included in the blanket ban. Reports during the weekend indicated many were coerced into signing away their green cards.
Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly late Sunday said green-card holders were not included in the travel ban. He said Monday some of the countries on the banned list could remain there longer than 90 days and added other countries could be added.
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