Federal judges in Maryland and Hawaii temporarily blocked the majority of President Trump’s third attempt at a travel ban from taking effect, just hours before the ban was scheduled to do so.
According to USA Today, U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang ruled late Tuesday (Oct. 17) that “the travel ban continues to have the same problems and violate the same constitutional principles, as previous versions of the ban.” Chuang ruled that the legislation still constituted a “Muslim ban.”
Earlier in the day on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson halted the ban on different grounds, arguing it violates federal law that prohibits discrimination based on nationality. Watson, a U.S. District judge appointed by former President Barack Obama, also temporarily halted Trump’s second travel ban.
Chuang’s ruling prohibits the administration from enforcing the ban against people who prove they have a “bona fide”—or good faith—relationship with U.S. persons or entities. Watson’s ruling out of Hawaii blocked all restrictions except with respect to Venezuelan officials or immigrants from North Korea.
The Supreme Court postponed its review of Trump’s second travel ban after the Trump administration moved forward with its third attempt at blocking entry for citizens of select countries into the U.S.
The third set of travel restrictions were to apply to citizens of Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria and Yemen—as well as some Venezuelan government officials and their families.
