Judge James L. Robart of the Western District of Washington has just ruled in favor of the Washington State Attorney General's motion for a temporary restraining order on key section of POTUS's Muslim ban.
The temporary restraining order immediately halts federal officers from enforcing sections of the ban that target immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries and refugees. It also stops federal officers from enforcing the part of the ban that grants exemptions to refugees on the basis of their religion.
"The fundamental work of this court is the recognition that it is only one of three equal branches of our government," Robart said from the bench. "The role assigned to the court is not to create policy, and it is not to judge the wisdom of the policy created by the other two branches."
Robart continued: "The work of the judiciary is ensuring that the action taken by those two branches comport with our laws, and most importantly, our Constitution."
Sydney Brownstone, of Merc sister paper The Stranger, was in the courtroom:
So Robart just granted TRO on every part of the #ImmigrationOrder state was asking to halt. TRO is granted nationwide.
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) February 3, 2017
And TRO is in public interest. He WILL grant the TRO. This is huge. #ImmigrationOrder
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) February 3, 2017
Next step: Preliminary injunction hearing. I believe it has to be within the next two weeks, but gotta double check. #ImmigrationOrder
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) February 3, 2017
Court order restrains federal officers from enforcing #ImmigrationOrder's sections 3(c), 5(a)-(c), and 5(e).
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) February 3, 2017