Hawaii Judge Blocks Trump's New Travel Ban

A Hawaiian judge effectively blocked the implementation of the Trump administration's executive order to bar the entry and issuance of new visas to six Muslim-majority countries and restrict entry to any international refugee. In the judge's 43-page opinion, US President Donald Trump's executive order was "meant to discriminate against Muslims" and "would violate the Constitution."

According to Washington Post, US District Judge Derrick K. Watson, the executive order was "issued with a strong purpose to disfavor a particular religion" and that any "reasonable, objective observer" would see it clear intent. The judge said the government's "illogic" of "targeting all of them (Muslims) at once" is a flawed reasoning.

The US Justice Department cited in an official statement that the District Judge's ruling was flawed in reasoning. It argued that the six countries are only a small fraction of the world's 50 Muslim-majority nations. The Executive Order's clear intent was US national security.

The Justice Department said it would continue defending the executive order in courts. US President Donald Trump, during a Nashville rally, said the ruling was "terrible" and it was "done by a judge for political reasons."

According to Buzzfeed, Watson's temporary restraining order for the second revision of the travel ban was implemented six hours before its scheduled implementation. US District Judge Theodore Chuang of Maryland was the first to hear the arguments of the executive order and has yet to release his ruling and opinion. US District Judge James Robart in Washington had issued a temporary restraining order against the travel ban.

Supporters of the executive order said the possible trouble caused by the new rules is only speculations. Acting Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall said visa denial troubles are just presumptions. Opposing parties of the executive order said the order was discriminatory given its preference for Muslim-majority countries as part of the ban.