MIDTOWN — Federal judges in Hawaii and Maryland blocked President Donald Trump’s new travel ban from taking effect Thursday, according to reports.
The ban would have blocked new travelers and refugees from six Muslim-majority nations, but allowed green card holders and previous visa holders to enter the country.
The administration ordered the ban after its first order was blocked by federal judges.
U.S. District Court Judge Derrick Watson in Hawaii issued a restraining order Wednesday, at least temporarily stopping the ban from taking effect at midnight.
Maryland judge Theodore Chuang followed hours later with another ruling against the president's travel ban, The New York Times reported.
"The Department of Justice strongly disagrees with the federal district court’s ruling, which is flawed both in reasoning and in scope. The President’s Executive Order falls squarely within his lawful authority in seeking to protect our Nation’s security, and the Department will continue to defend this Executive Order in the courts," the DOJ said in a statement issued Wednesday night.
Protesters descended on John F. Kennedy airport after the first ban was ordered in late January. The rule impacted refugees and legal permanent residents from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
The new order excludes Iraq.
