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US travel ban – is it on or off?

Travellers from seven countries recently barred from entering the US received good news over the weekend when a US District Court Judge blocked Trump's controversial travel ban.

Travellers from seven countries recently barred from entering the US received good news over the weekend when a US District Court Judge blocked Trump’s controversial travel ban.

In case you’ve been in hiding, here’s what you’ve missed:

Less than a week after his inauguration, US President Donald Trump made the decision to temporarily ban refugees and visitors from seven countries from entering the US. These countries are Muslim-majority and predominately Middle Eastern – Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

The decision created confusion, especially among green card holders who were out of the country and told they were unable to board their return flight to the United States.

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However, over the weekend a US Federal Judge in Seattle, James L Robarts, granted a nationwide temporary restraining order that essentially blocks Trump’s ban.

Immediately after the ruling, the US leader took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the decision, saying the courts are making it difficult for “Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY” and claiming the Judge is putting the US in “such peril”.

The White House officially responded with a statement stating that it believes the ban is “lawful and appropriate” and said it would file an emergency stay to stop the judge’s order from taking effect, ABC News reported.

“At the earliest possible time, the Department of Justice intends to file an emergency stay of this order and defend the executive order of the President,” the statement read.

This emergency request was submitted on Sunday morning in the US, but was turned down by a Federal Appeals Court, which means that for the moment Judge James Robart’s ruling will stay in place for now, CNN reported.

Airlines such as Qatar, Air France and Lufthansa have adjusted to the block by allowing banned passengers to board their flights.

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