Legal battles are playing out across the U.S. as opponents of President Donald Trump’s travel ban on citizens from seven predominantly Muslim nations take their fight to the courtroom.
Hearings were being held Friday in a few of the cases.
Here’s a look at some of the court challenges:
At a hearing in Virginia, a government lawyer said more than 100,000 people have had visas revoked since the ban went into effect.
The judge in that case is allowing Virginia to join a lawsuit challenging the travel ban.
Friday’s ruling by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema greatly expands the scope of the lawsuit, which was initially focused only on legal permanent residents, commonly called green-card holders. Brinkema indicated a willingness to consider cases involving anyone who had been issued a visa and had it revoked.
Massachusetts:
A federal judge in Boston says he’ll decide by Sunday whether to extend a temporary injunction against the ban.
A seven-day restraining order was granted Jan. 29 in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of two professors who were detained at Boston’s airport as they returned home from an academic conference. The professors are Muslims from Iran and lawful permanent U.S. residents. They were eventually allowed to re-enter the country.
U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton said Friday he’s reviewing arguments and will rule this weekend.
Washington:
A federal judge will hear arguments Friday from Washington state for a temporary restraining order that would bar enforcement of portions of the ban. The state attorney general filed a lawsuit on Monday arguing the order is unconstitutional. The state says the restraining order is needed to protect residents and businesses from suffering irreparable harm.
Minnesota has joined Washington state in seeking a temporary restraining order.
New York:
A Brooklyn judge on Thursday extended a temporary restraining order to Feb. 21, but the Justice Department said it will ask her to throw out the case.
U.S. District Judge Carol Amon’s ruling extended a stay that had been issued Saturday by a different judge and would have expired Feb. 11. Amon extended the order to give more time the government and civil liberties organizations to file paperwork.
Michigan:
A federal judge in Detroit says U.S. green-card holders shouldn’t be affected by the order.
The Arab-American Civil Rights League argued in a suit filed this week in Detroit’s U.S. District Court that the executive action is unconstitutional and targets immigrant communities.
A restraining order released Friday from U.S. District Judge Victoria Roberts covers legal permanent residents, not some others that also are part of the lawsuit. She says lawyers for the government clarified to her that the ban doesn’t apply to “lawful” permanent residents.
Chicago:
Two lawsuits landed in federal court earlier this week — one on behalf of a citizen of Iran identified only as “John Doe,” and the other on behalf of Amer Al Homssi, a resident in internal medicine at the University of Illinois Chicago/Advocate Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn. Doe is a lawful permanent resident of the United States. Al Homssi holds legal residency in the United Arab Emirates and had a valid J-1 visa, which was cancelled when he tried to return to the United States.
Lawyers for both men appeared in separate courtrooms filled with supporters Wednesday. Doe lawyer Taher Kameli told U.S. District Judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan he would withdraw a motion for a temporary restraining order after discussions with an attorney for the government. Al Homssi lawyers Thomas Anthony Durkin and Robin Waters later told U.S. District Judge Elaine Bucklo they had reached an “agreement in principle” that allowed Al Homssi to return to the United States Thursday morning.
Contributing: Jon Seidel
