As individuals and businesses weigh how best to respond to the immigration ‘ban’ and its effect, we are staying in close contact with our immigration legal experts. Here’s a February 6th update from ALG Law Firm (shared with their kind permission):
TRAVEL WARNING – UPDATE
On January 27, 2017, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) entitled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States,” that restricts travel into the United States for nationals from seven designated countries. Since then, a federal judge temporarily halted the President’s EO, thereby allowing individuals from these countries holding valid U.S. visas entry into the United States.
Highlights:
- Attorney generals from the states of Washington and Minnesota filed suit challenging the President’s EO.
- Friday, February 2, 2017, federal U.S. District Court Judge James Robart halted enforcement of Trump’s EO.
- Saturday, February 3, 2017, Department of Homeland Security suspended “any and all” actions to implement the travel ban and resumed standard inspections of all travelers.
- Following Judge James Robart’s verdict, many airlines, including Qatar Airways, Turkish Airways, Air France, and Lufthansa, announced that all passengers with valid documents including from the seven countries included in the ban are allowed to travel to the U.S.
- Sunday, February 4, 2017, Trump administration filed emergency request to resume travel ban.
- Same day, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily denied U.S. government’s stay request.
- Lawyers challenging the EO have until 3:59 am, EST on Monday, February 6, 2017, to file legal briefs.
- The Trump administration has until 6 pm, EST on Monday, February 6 , 2017, to file its response.
- A three-judge panel is then expected to schedule a hearing or issue a ruling
Due to on-going litigation, changes surrounding the situation are likely. As such, we strongly advise that anyone affected by the EO, including refugees or U.S. visa holders from the seven designated countries, make immediate travel plans to return to the United States or continue to refrain from traveling outside of the U.S.