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U.S. NEWS Monday 6 February 2017
White House predicts courts will reinstate travel ban

ERIC TUCKER the outcome and how-
Associated Press ever the case drags on, a
WASHINGTON (AP) — Re- president who was used to
buffed in its bid for a quick getting his way in private
reversal, the White House business is finding, weeks
said Sunday it expected the in to the jobs, obstacles to
courts to reaffirm President quickly fulfilling one of his
Donald Trump’s executive chief campaign pledges.
power and reinstate a ban “The president is not a dic-
on refugees and travelers tator,” said Sen. Dianne
from seven predominantly Feinstein, D-Calif. “He is
Muslim countries from en- the chief executive of our
tering the United States. country. And there is a ten-
The case promised to ex- sion between the branches
tend into Monday at least, of government.”
when fresh legal filings were The government had told
due, and observers had no the appeals court that the
doubt the Supreme Court president alone has the
ultimately will have a say. power to decide who can
The San Francisco-based enter or stay in the United
9th U.S. Circuit Court of States, an assertion that
Appeals, in a brief order appeared to invoke the
overnight, denied the ad- wider battle to come over A woman offers legal services at the customs arrival area as demonstrators opposed to President
ministration’s request to set illegal immigration. Donald Trump’s executive orders barring entry to the U.S. by Muslims from certain countries march
aside a Seattle judge’s rul- Congress “vests complete behind at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday,
ing that put a temporary discretion” in the president Feb. 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
hold on the ban nation- to impose conditions on
wide. entry of foreigners to the
The lawsuit by Washing- United States, and that
ton state and Minnesota power is “largely immune
said Trump’s order harmed from judicial control,” ac-
residents and effectively cording to the court filing.
mandated discrimination. “We don’t appoint judges
Their lawyers had until 2:59 to our district courts to con-
a.m. EST Monday to submit duct foreign policy or to
briefs opposing the govern- make decisions about the
ment’s request. The Justice national security,” Pence
Department then had a said.
6 p.m. EST deadline to re- Feinstein, the top Demo-
spond. crat on the Senate Judicia-
“We’ll accomplish the stay ry Committee, predicted
and will win the case on the appeals court would
the merits,” Vice President not have the last word. “I
Mike Pence said. have no doubt that it will go
Members of Trump’s Re- to the Supreme Court, and
publican Party scolded probably some judgments
him for Twitter attacks on will be made whether this
U.S. District Court Judge president has exceed his
James Robart, appointed authority or not,” she said.
by President George W. In his ruling, Robart said it
Bush, and lawmakers ac- was not the court’s job to
cused Trump of stepping “create policy or judge the
over the line that separates wisdom of any particular
the executive from the ju- policy promoted by the
diciary. To Trump, Robart is other two branches,” but
a “so-called judge” whose to make sure that an ac-
“ridiculous” ruling “will be tion taken by the govern-
overturned.” ment “comports with our
“The president can criticize country’s laws.”
anybody he wants,” Vice Trump’s order applied to
President Mike Pence said, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Lib-
adding that he believes ya, Somalia and Yemen —
the American people “find Muslim-majority countries
it very refreshing that they that the administration said
not only understand this raise terrorism concerns.
president’s mind, but they The order had caused un-
understand how he feels ending confusion for many
about things.” foreigners trying to reach
At issue is the legality of a the United States, prompt-
presidential action under- ed protests across the Unit-
taken in the name of na- ed States and led to mul-
tional security. Whatever tiple court challenges.q