Trump Administration Files Notice To Appeal Immigration Ban Rulings

The Department of Justice filed court documents Friday to appeal two rulings that blocked implementation of President Trump's new executive order banning citizens temporarily from six Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.

Maryland U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang ruled Thursday morning that the executive order from the president was intended specifically to ban Muslims from entering the country. Chuang ruled to bar enforcement of the part of Trump's order that would have prevented people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from obtaining visas for 90 days, citing the president's words that indicated his intent was to ban Muslims from the U.S.

A federal judge in Hawaii first issued a temporary restraining order against the ban Wednesday, effective nationwide, just a few hours before it went into effect.

The Justice Department is making its stand in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in Richmond, Virginia.

The new version of the ban was specifically tailored to avoid the legal challenges that stalled the White House's first pass at an executive order. However, the spectre created by Trump's past comments, his aides' remarks and the tumultuous first order's implementation is making the judicial branch hesitant to allow any form of the ban to stand.

Critics of the law argue that it is a crude attempt to fulfill Trump's discriminatory campaign promise to ban Muslims from entering the country. Trump and his administration argue that the temporary ban targeting select countries is necessary to protect the American people.

Elizabeth Janney contributed to this report.

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