BREAKING NEWS

Challenge to Trump travel ban moves forward in two courts

The most consequential legal challenge to US President Donald Trump's travel ban will proceed on two tracks in the next few days, including a US appeals court vote that could reveal some judges who disagree with their colleagues on the bench and support the arguments behind the new president's most controversial executive order.
In a Seattle federal courtroom, the state of Washington will attempt to probe the president's motive in drafting his Jan. 27 order, while in the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, judges will decide whether to reconsider an appeal in that same case decided last week.
Trump's directive, which he said was necessary to protect the United States from attacks by Islamist militants, barred people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the country for 90 days. Refugees were banned for 120 days, except those from Syria, who were banned indefinitely.
The ban was backed by around half of Americans, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, but triggered protests across the country and caused chaos at some US and overseas airports.