Federal appeals court to hear arguments Tuesday over Trump travel ban
Posted February 6, 2017 6:52 pm.
Last Updated February 6, 2017 6:58 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Justice Department has filed a brief with a federal appeals court in support of President Donald Trump’s travel and refugee ban.
The document was filed Monday with the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The appellate court has scheduled telephone oral arguments for Tuesday afternoon.
The filing says the Trump administration executive order that bans travellers from seven predominantly Muslim nations is a “lawful exercise” of presidential authority. A federal judge in Washington state put the order on hold Friday.
Two Democrat-appointed judges and one Republican appointee from the court’s randomly assigned motions panel will weigh the appeal.
Federal government lawyers say the ruling by the judge, James Robart, was overly broad and should be overruled.
Attorneys general from 15 states and the District of Columbia are urging a federal appeals court to uphold a lower court judge’s stay.
The 23-page friend of the court brief, which was filed Monday, was signed by AGs from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.
The officials say Trump’s executive order targeting refugees and nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries hurts their states’ economies. They say it also disrupts education and medical services and violates First Amendment-protected religious liberties.
The legal fight may ultimately reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
