A federal judge's order blocking President Donald Trump's ban on admitting travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries or any refugees left authorities and advocates wondering what to do Saturday with the people who finally got visas to come to America, only to be turned away. The White House said it would try to get a court to reinstate the ban that prompted the State Department to cancel visas for 60,000 or more people from the affected countries, causing widespread confusion at airports when some travelers were detained and others sent back. An internal email circulated among Homeland Security officials Friday night told employees to immediately comply with the judge's ruling. The judge's order was a victory for Washington and Minnesota, which had challenged Trump's directive. U.S. District Judge James Robart in Seattle issued a temporary restraining order, ruling the states had standing. He said they showed their case was likely to succeed. The White House has argued that it will make the country safer. A State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the matter is under litigation, said Friday: "We are working closely with the Department of Homeland Security and our legal teams to determine how this affects our operations. We will announce any changes affecting travelers to the United States as soon as that information is available." Washington and Minnesota said the temporary ban on entry for people from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen and the global suspension of the U.S. refugee program significantly harms residents and effectively mandates discrimination.
