Appeals court partially revives Trump travel ban

A federal appeals court Monday partially revived President Donald Trump’s travel ban on six Muslimmajority countries, allowing it to go into effect against people without a “bona fide” connection in the U.S., such as close family members here.

The decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals means that the federal government can start blocking travel into the U.S. by most nationals of Syria, Libya, Iran, Yemen, Somalia and Chad who lack family in the country.

The decision partially reversed an order from Honolulu-based federal Judge Derrick Watson, who blocked nearly the entire ban on the grounds that it “plainly discriminates based on nationality.”

Watson ruled on a lawsuit brought by the state of Hawaii.

The 9th Circuit decision is a temporary measure before judges hear arguments Dec. 6 over the government’s appeal of Watson’s ruling.

A panel of three judges — Michael Daly Hawkins, Ronald Gould and Richard Paez — are considering the appeal. All were appointed by President Bill Clinton.

Trump signed his newest travel ban Sept. 24 to indefinitely halt travel from most citizens of the six countries, but Hawaii and Marylandbased federal judges issued orders stopping it as it was about to go into effect in October.

Trump’s travel order also applied to North Koreans and certain Venezuelan government officials and their families, but judges allowed bans against those nationals to continue.

The 9th Circuit order is a win for the Trump administration, which has struggled since January in three attempts to push similar travel bans that immigration advocates and federal judges have described as illegal.

Judges have said the president’s bans either violated immigration law or were unconstitutional in discriminating against Muslims.

The Trump administration has argued in federal courts that the bans fall within presidential power and are needed to protect Americans from potential terrorism.