A US federal judge in Hawaii dealt another legal blow to President Donald Trump, issuing an emergency halt to his revised travel ban just hours before it was to go into effect.

US District Judge Derrick Watson on Wednesday put an emergency stop to Mr Trump’s executive order, which aimed to temporarily bar entry to the US of most refugees as well as travellers from six Muslim-majority countries.

Judge Watson said the state of Hawaii showed a strong likelihood of success in its claims the order violated the establishment clause of the US Constitution, which prevents religious discrimination.

Critics of the ban argued it was discriminatory against Muslims.
The President has said the policy is critical for national security.

More than half a dozen states are trying to stop the ban, and federal courts in Maryland, Washington state and Hawaii heard arguments on Wednesday about whether it should be put into practice early on Thursday.

Mr Trump’s first travel order signed on January 27, which was more sweeping than the second revised order signed on March 6, was also halted by a federal judge.

Mr Trump lashed out at Judge Watson during a campaign-style rally in Nashville to accuse the judge of ruling “for political reasons” and criticising the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which upheld the earlier decision against his administration.

“This ruling makes us look weak, which by the way we no longer are, believe me,” Mr Trump said to a cheering crowd.

Mr Trump even said he might reissue the initial version of the order, rather than the one blocked on Wednesday, which he described as “a watered-down version of the first one”.

Mr Trump called the ruling an example of “unprecedented judicial overreach” and said his administration would appeal it to the US Supreme Court.

“We’re going to win. We’re going to keep our citizens safe,” the President said at the rally.

“The danger is clear. The law is clear. The need for my executive order is clear.”

In Maryland, lawyers told a federal judge the measure still discriminated against Muslims.

Government lawyers argued the ban was revised substantially to address legal concerns, including the removal of an exemption for religious minorities from the affected countries.

“It doesn’t say anything about religion. It doesn’t draw any religious distinctions,” said Jeffrey Wall, who argued for the Justice Department.
Lawyers for the ACLU and other groups said Mr Trump’s statements on the campaign trail and statements from his advisers since he took office mad clear the intent of the ban was to ban Muslims.

BREAKING: Hawaii Fed Judge issues nationwide hold on Trump's #TravelBan 2.0; enjoins sections 2 (banning 6 countries) & 6 (Refugee ban) pic.twitter.com/dhjDMKNNCs

— David Leopold (@DavidLeopold) March 15, 2017

The new version applies only to new visas from Somalia, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya and Yemen and temporarily shuts down the US refugee program.

It does not apply to travellers who already have visas.

The judge issued his 43-page ruling less than two hours after hearing Hawaii’s request for a temporary restraining order to stop the ban from being put into practice.