A federal appeals court has largely upheld the nationwide block of President Donald Trump‘s executive order temporarily restricting travel from six predominantly Muslim countries.
The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday upheld a lower court ruling blocking the revised version of the executive order. The Trump administration crafted it to better hold up to legal scrutiny than an earlier version did.
Trump has insisted that the measure is necessary to prevent possible terrorist attacks and protect national security. But opponents, and courts in previous rulings blocking its enforcement, have cited past statements from Trump and his advisors signaling that it may target Muslims.
The 4th Circuit ruling said it was “unconvinced” that the order “has more to do with national security than it does with effectuating the president’s proposed Muslim ban.”
After previous legal setbacks for his executive order, Trump said that the federal government will take it to the Supreme Court, if necessary.
A federal judge in Hawaii also halted the order, and the Trump administration is fighting that decision in a separate appeals court.
— NBC News and the Associated Press contributed to this report