The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected President Donald Trump's administration's appeal to remove a temporary block on his executive action barring travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States.
The Appeals Court decision, announced on February 9, allows the immigration veto imposed by President Trump to remain blocked for the time being and people from the affected countries can continue to travel to the United States.
The decision of the three-judge federal panel was unanimous.
At a 29-page document the judges determined that the government did not present evidence to justify that the Executive Order should take effect immediately, nor that any foreign nationals from the countries named in the President's Executive Order had committed terrorist acts against the United States.
They also found that the states of Washington and Minnesota, which sued the Trump administration in federal court in the Western District of Washington and succeeded in temporarily preventing the implementation of the executive order by arguing that it was unconstitutional, can sue the Trump administration.
The court emphasized that it has the power to review the executive order to determine its constitutionality.
President Trump signed the executive order, titled "Protection of the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States," on Friday, January 27. The executive action seeks to implement several changes to U.S. immigration procedures and policy, including barring for 90 days the entry into the United States of travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries, suspending for 120 days the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, preventing the entry of Syrian refugees indefinitely, and prioritizing refugee claims from certain religious minorities.
President Trump expressed his displeasure and stated that he will continue his fight in the courts, so the case will most likely go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
