UNITED STATES – Federal Judge in Seattle Temporarily Blocks Executive Order
On Friday 3 February 2017, a federal judge in Seattle, Washington issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) with nationwide effect, blocking the Trump Administration's Executive Order on travel and visa issuance. This TRO means that visas which were provisionally cancelled should now be valid for use. Refugees granted approval should now be allowed admission and visa applications being held up solely by the Trump orders should now be issued. An initial request by the Justice Department to overturn the TRO was denied by the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which will decide later this week on whether the TRO should be upheld.
For further information on the TRO and the lawsuit brought by Washington and Minnesota States, please read this update from Maggio + Kattar and this from Littler.
Action Items
- As these legal challenges work their way through various federal courts, affected individuals should consult with an immigration attorney for the latest information and guidance on how these court actions might apply in a particular case.
