US authorities on Saturday suspended President Donald Trump's
controversial ban on travellers from seven Muslim countries, following a
court ruling that blocked its enforcement.
"We have reversed the provisional revocation of visas," a US State Department spokesman told AFP.
The department had said some 60,000 travel visas had been revoked in compliance with the president's recent executive order.
"Those individuals with visas that were not physically cancelled may now
travel if the visa is otherwise valid," the official said.
The Department of Homeland Security, in a separate statement on Saturday
wrote: "In accordance with the judge's ruling, DHS has suspended any
and all actions implementing the affected sections of the executive
order."
It added: "DHS personnel will resume inspection of travelers in
accordance with standard policy and procedure," but said that US
Department of Justice officials would launch an appeal "at the earliest
possible time" to reinstate the ban, which the Trump administration
believes "is lawful and appropriate."
"The order is intended to protect the homeland and the American people,
and the President has no higher duty and responsibility than to do," the
DHS statement said.
Trump meanwhile lashed out at the court ruling suspending his
controversial ban affecting travelers from seven Muslim countries
dismissing it as "ridiculous" and vowing to get it overturned.
The order, issued late Friday by Seattle US District Judge James Robart,
is valid across the United States, pending a full review of a complaint
filed by Washington state's attorney general.
The travel restrictions, which went into effect a week ago, have wreaked
havoc at airports across America, sparked numerous protests and left
countless people hoping to reach the United States in limbo.
"The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes
law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be
overturned!" Trump wrote in a flurry of early morning tweets.
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