Four US States Challenge Trump's Revised Travel Ban
Hawaii files suit, while state of Washington seeks ruling affirming that an earlier order blocking president's first edict also applies to the new one
Four U.S. states are challenging President Donald Trump's revised executive order banning travel from six Muslim-majority countries. Attorneys for the Pacific island state of Hawaii filed a lawsuit late Wednesday in a federal court in its capital, Honolulu, arguing the new order will harm the state's Muslim population, tourism and foreign students. Meanwhile, the state of Washington asked a federal judge in Seattle to affirm that an existing order blocking Trump's original edict also applies to the president's new directive. Washington state attorney general Bob Ferguson said the states of Oregon and New York are joining him in the effort. Ferguson acknowledged that Trump's new edict is narrower than the first one, but said, "That does not mean that it's cured its constitutional problems." Trump signed a new executive order Monday barring citizens from six countries — Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen — from traveling to the United States for three months, and shutting down the U.S. refugee resettlement program for four months. It does not apply to people who received visas before January 22, or who hold green cards that give them permanent legal residency in the United States. A federal judge will hold a hearing on Hawaii's lawsuit on March 15 — the day before the new ban takes effect. The original order, issued in January, led to chaos and confusion at airports across the U.S., with travelers from seven countries detained after arriving, and led to dozens of legal challenges that ended with a federal appellate court issuing a temporary restraining order against enforcement of the ban. Trump's new order removes Iraq from the list of nations affected by the travel ban. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Thursday the Trump administration feels "very confident" that the new travel ban will withstand legal challenges.