Federal Appeals Court Rules Against Reinstating President Trump's Travel Ban

President Donald Trump's controversial travel ban will remain blocked. That's according to a federal appeals court ruling late Thursday.

The unanimous ruling from a three-judge panel means that citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries will continue to be able to travel to the US, despite Trump's executive order last month.

"On the one hand, the public has a powerful interest in national security and in the ability of an elected president to enact policies," the judges wrote. "And on the other, the public also has an interest in free flow of travel, in avoiding separation of families, and in freedom from discrimination.
We need not characterize the public interest more definitely than this... The emergency motion for a stay pending appeal is denied."

The ruling is a significant political setback to Trump's new administration and raises questions about how the courts will view his apparent vision for an expansive use of executive power from the Oval Office on which he is anchoring the early weeks of his presidency.

Trump immediately tweeted his reaction to the ruling:

"SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!"