Breaking News: Homeland Security Has Suspended Implementation of Travel Ban

photo: pixabay

Yesterday, a Federal Judge in Seattle, issued an order temporarily blocking implementation of the Executive Order on immigration and refugees.  The New York Times reported that:

The federal government was “arguing that we have to protect the U.S. from individuals from these countries, and there’s no support for that,” said the judge, James Robart of Federal District Court for the Western District of Washington, an appointee of President George W. Bush, in a decision delivered from the bench.

The judge’s ruling was temporary, putting Mr. Trump’s policy on hold at least until the government and opponents of the order had a chance to make full arguments, or until the administration won a stay.

Furthermore:

Judge Robart made clear that his order applied nationwide, citing a similar nationwide injunction from a federal district court in Texas that had blocked President Barack Obama’s plan to shield some undocumented immigrants from deportation and allow them to legally work in the United States.

Trump responded by tweeting that the ruling was ridiculous. (see, New York Times article). He tweeted:

The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!

Now, CNN reports that the Department of Homeland Security has announced that it will comply with the Court rulings and that it has “suspended all actions to implement the immigration order and will resume standard inspections of travelers as it did prior to the signing of the travel ban.”

CNN further reports that the State Department has reversed the cancellation of visas that were provisionally revoked following the President’s executive order last week, meaning the visas in question will be reinstated.

I’m sure there will be further dramatic developments in the hours and days to come.