Trump Signs Revised Immigration Executive Order

Washington state’s attorney general will ask a federal judge in Seattle to confirm that a previous court ruling halting a temporary travel ban signed by President Donald Trump applies to a revised order signed by Trump this week.

The new ban, which some legal experts have said avoids some of the pitfalls that hampered the initial version, now temporarily blocks citizens of six Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. While Trump may call it new, Ferguson sees the revised executive order released last week as merely a continuation of the old.

After the extensive litigation over the original Trump administration travel ban, and its revision to address the most egregious legal flaws, observers wondered if, when, and where the first new challenge in court would occur. “You can not tweet your way out of it: It doesn’t work that way”, says Ferguson.

In Minnesota, one of the states to take legal action against the first travel ban, Attorney General Lori Swanson wrote a brief response that the Trump administration can not “unilaterally modify a preliminary injunction” with their revised executive order. Reports indicate that the new executive order won’t affect people – either permanent residents or temporary visa holders – who’ve already been admitted to the US.

“My message to President Trump is: Not so fast”, Ferguson said.

Put simply, the Justice Department said in a court filing that the injunction issued by Judge Robart on February 3 “does not limit the government’s ability to immediately begin enforcing the new executive order”.

OR is on board. His organization filed a class-action complaint over the initial ban and said it would amend its arguments in light of the new one.

Trump’s “executive order inflicts a grave injury on Muslims in Hawaii, including Dr. Elshikh, his family, and members of his mosque”, Hawaii’s complaint says. One suit, filed in Washington state, succeeded in having the order suspended by arguing that it violated constitutional protections against religious discrimination. They listed 15 separate instances in which Mr. Trump or his advisers tied the travel restrictions to Muslims or Islam. It exempts existing visa holders. And it no longer gives priority to refugees of certain religions.

The new directive says refugees already approved by the State Department can enter the US. There are still student, accepted for study, who won’t be able to come here, plus scholars and teachers who won’t be allowed in.

‘We have a strong case and they are willing to join our efforts, ‘ he said of his fellow Democrats.