Hawaii (October 18, 2017): A federal judge in Hawaii has blocked President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban one day before it was set to take effect.
The US district judge, on Tuesday granted Hawaii’s request to temporarily block the federal government from enforcing the policy. It was supposed to take effect at midnight Wednesday.
Judge Derrick Watson said the travel ban, Trump’s third version of the policy, “plainly discriminates based on nationality.”
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The Trump administration’s most recent restrictions affect citizens of Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen and some Venezuelan government officials and their families.
Hawaii was of the view that the updated ban was a continuation of Donald Trump’s “promise to exclude Muslims from the United States”.
While the White House has described the ruling as “dangerously flawed,” adding that it “undercuts the president’s efforts to keep the American people safe.”
In a statement, the president’s office reacted to a ruling earlier Tuesday by US District Judge Derrick Watson of Hawaii, who granted a nationwide injunction against Trump’s third travel ban, ruling that the order “likely” violates US law.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said, “The entry restrictions in the proclamation apply to countries based on their inability or unwillingness to share critical information necessary to safely vet applications, as well as a threat assessment related to terrorism, instability, and other grave national security concerns.” Sanders said in a statement.
The Justice Department will “appeal in an expeditious manner,” spokesman Ian Prior said. “Today’s ruling is incorrect, fails to properly respect the separation of powers, and has the potential to cause serious negative consequences for our national security.”
Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin celebrated the order. The state has been fighting each version of the travel ban.
“This is the third time Hawaii has gone to court to stop President Trump from issuing a travel ban that discriminates against people based on their nation of origin or religion,” Chin said in a statement. “Today is another victory for the rule of law. We stand ready to defend it.”
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