U.S. asks Hawaii judge to clarify ruling on Trump travel ban
GEORGE LEE / 2015
Hours before it was to take effect, President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban was put on hold Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson who questioned whether the administration was motivated by national security concerns.
The government is asking a federal judge in Hawaii to clarify his order blocking President Trump’s revised travel ban, arguing that it shouldn’t apply to new rules on refugees.
A Justice Department motion filed Friday asks Judge Derrick Watson to clarify the scope of his temporary restraining order, arguing it should only apply to Trump’s temporary ban on travel from six mostly Muslim countries.
The Justice Department says the ruling shouldn’t apply to a section of Trump’s executive order that temporarily suspends admission of refugees to the U.S. and caps the number admitted this fiscal year at 50,000.
The Justice Department also argues the Hawaii ruling shouldn’t block Trump’s order that security officials review whether other countries are providing enough information to ensure would-be immigrants aren’t a security threat.
