© 2024 Blaze Media LLC. All rights reserved.
State Department reinstates up to 60K visas affected by Trump's travel ban
Supporters cheer as an Iranian citizen with a valid U.S. visa arrives at Los Angeles International Airport Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. An Iranian man turned away from Los Angeles International Airport under President Donald Trump's executive order barring people from seven Muslim-majority nations has arrived back in the U.S. under a federal judge's order. A federal judge on Sunday ordered U.S. authorities bring him back. He was among hundreds detained or turned away from airports after the ban was implemented. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

State Department reinstates up to 60K visas affected by Trump's travel ban

After an early morning rebuke by President Donald Trump of the federal judge in Washington State that put a hold on his temporary travel ban, the State Department reversed course Saturday morning and reinstated up to 60,000 that were revoked to comply with Trump's recent executive order on immigration.

TheBlaze reported Saturday that Trump sent early morning tweets aimed at federal judge James Robart, who issued on Friday a nationwide halt of Trump's immigration and refugee executive order that he signed late last month.

“The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!” Trump wrote at 8:12 a.m. Saturday. By 10:20 a.m., the Associated Press had reported the decision to revoke those visas had been reversed and that visa holders from those countries were now able to enter the U.S.:

The department had said up to 60,000 foreigners from seven majority-Muslim countries had their visas "provisionally revoked" to comply with Trump's order blocking them from traveling to the United States.

The department says it acted to reinstate the visas after getting word from the Justice Department about the judge's ruling Friday in Washington state.

For now, the department says people covered by the order and holding a valid visa may now travel to the United States.

The controversial travel ban was signed via executive order and temporarily disallowed travel from  seven Muslim-majority nations for 90 days, including Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. It further halted the refugee resettlement program for 120 days. That moratorium was later lifted for Iraqi translators who worked with the U.S. government.

The ban was controversial because it led to some people being detained at airports or returned to their country of origin, which led to protests and boycotts, with many saying the executive order was racist and targeted Muslims for their religion.

Want to leave a tip?

We answer to you. Help keep our content free of advertisers and big tech censorship by leaving a tip today.
Want to join the conversation?
Already a subscriber?