Federal Judge Robart has issued a nationwide restraining order on Friday against the US President's ban on travelers entering the US from seven Muslim-majority countries.
The executive order has been defended by The white house as being in the interest of national security, and they are set to make an immediate appeal.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) told airlines they have permission to board passengers previously prohibited from entering the country, and Homeland Security have told employees to comply with the judge's order.
State Attorney General Bob Ferguson said that Judge Robart’s decision, ends President Trump’s unconstitutional and unlawful executive order.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said that the president’s order is intended to protect the people of America from terrorist activity
Making the case against the President.
The lawsuit was initially raised by the state of Washington and Minisota joined two days later.
The trump administration has claimed the executive order to be based on the grounds of national security, but opponents have called it unconstitutional and targets religious belief.
Washington Solicitor General Noah Purcell said there was a lot of evidence to show President Trump’s executive order was directed at the religion of Islam.
Judge Robart probed the Justice Department lawyer, Michelle Bennett, saying there were no terrorist attacks originating from the seven countries listed in the President order and so he could not support the claim it was in the interest of national security.
The appeal.
The court order could be appealed as early at February 9th at the US Circuit Court of Appeals, but for now the Trump administration appears to have no choice but to respect the rule of law.
Previously however, there were fears of a "constitutional crisis" when a previous court order to release people detained at airports was refused by the Customs and Boarder Protection.
Abner Greene, Fordham University Law Professor said: Obedience to specific court orders is what keeps us from being a banana republic or a fascist dictatorship".
The only legal action left to be taken against a President who will not follow the law, is impeachment. For now however, the Trump administration seems to be playing by the rules.
