WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Maryland issued a second, narrower restraining order against President Donald Trump’s travel ban early Thursday — suspending only the portion that stopped the issuance of visas to citizens of six Muslim-majority countries.
In the memo, U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang wrote that, “This Executive Order follows a substantially similar Executive Order that is currently the subject of multiple injunctions premised on the conclusion that it likely violates various provisions of the United States Constitution.”
He also pointed to statements by Trump and his advisers made that, in Chuang’s opinion, indicated the executive order was “the realization of the long-envisioned Muslim ban.”
It was the latest ruling against Trump’s revised travel ban and follows a Hawaii judge’s decision to halt the revised travel ban.
Government lawyers argued that the ban was substantially revised from an earlier version signed in January that was later blocked by a federal judge in Washington state. They said the ban was ordered in the interest of national security to protect the U.S. from “radical Islamic terrorism.”
The Maryland plaintiffs also argued the ban illegally reduces the number of refugees authorized to enter the U.S. this year.
Chuang granted a preliminary injunction nationwide basis pending further orders from this court. He declined to stay the ruling should an emergency appeal be filed.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
