A Federal Judge Just Ruled Against President Trump to Stop Detainees from Being Sent Home
President Trump issued a bevy of orders this week, but the one that seems to be having the most immediate and resounding impact thus far seems to be those he gave last night to impose a seven-nation ban on immigration for the next 90 days (with case-by-case vetting for those with green cards that had previously traveled abroad), an indefinite halt of admissions for Syrian refugees and a complete shut-down of the refugee program for the next 120 days.
Reactions were swift, with people not only taking to social media, but gathering at airports such as JFK and O’Hare to call for the release of those being detained, as 100-200 were already in transit when orders came last night.
Now, just after 9pm, Federal Judge Ann M. Donnelly has ruled in an emergency hearing which ACLU lawyers brought to block the White House’s order on behalf of those held, citing “irreparable harm.” The judge did not grant them official entry to the US, however, leaving lawyers concerned about their fate (although reports are coming in from Twitter that refugees have been released).
The ACLU, for one, was overjoyed with its victory, with Deputy Director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project Lee Gelernt saying, “This ruling preserves the status quo and ensures that people who have been granted permission to be in this country are not illegally removed from US soil.”
The group also took to Twitter to share its victory with the world.
On week one, Donald Trump suffered his first loss in court.
— ACLU National (@ACLU) January 29, 2017
Victory!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/uyza3zrQSX
— ACLU National (@ACLU) January 29, 2017
The ACLU’s national political director Faiz Shakir also touted the win, using President Trump’s own campaign words against him, saying “I hope Trump enjoys losing. He’s going to lose so much we’re going to get sick and tired of his losing.”
Fingers crossed a resolution comes for all involved, and soon.
How are you feeling after Judge Donnelly’s ruling? Sound off over @BritandCo.
(h/t The New York Times, photos via Mohammed Elshamy/Getty)