President Donald Trump on Saturday blasted the federal judge who issued a nationwide hold on the executive order temporarily barring immigrants from seven predominately Muslim countries.
“The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!” Trump tweeted.
“Interesting that certain Middle-Eastern countries agree with the ban,” the president continued. “They know if certain people are allowed in it’s death & destruction!”
Trump continued his tirade into the afternoon, tweeting that “many very bad and dangerous people may be pouring into our country.”
"What is our country coming to when a judge can halt a Homeland Security travel ban and anyone, even with bad intentions, can come into U.S.?" he tweeted.
US District Judge James Robart, a Seattle federal judge and George W. Bush appointee, granted a nationwide temporary restraining order on the immigration ban Friday night.
Robart's ruling, contrary to the claims in Trump's tweets, does not allow "anyone" to travel to the US - travellers from the seven majority-Muslim countries named in Trump's order must still hold valid visas or green cards to gain entry.
Following Robart's order, US Customs and Border Protection alerted airlines that passengers with valid visas from the seven countries could once again be admitted. The State Department also announced on Saturday that it would allow people with valid visas into the country, and would reinstate visas that had been revoked - so long as they had not been physically canceled. The Department of Homeland Security announced that it won't direct airlines to keep visa-holders covered by the immigration ban from boarding US-bound planes, The Associated Press reported.
"In our country, no one is above the law and that includes the president," Bob Ferguson, Washington state's attorney general, told CNN on Friday night.
Robart's order sent the administration scrambling on Friday night. Sean Spicer, Trump's press secretary, issued a statement saying the White House intended to challenge the ruling.
"At the earliest possible time, the Department of Justice intends to file an emergency stay of this order and defend the executive order of the President, which we believe is lawful and appropriate," Spicer said.
"When a country is no longer able to say who can, and who cannot, come in & out, especially for reasons of safety &. security - big trouble!" Trump tweeted.
The president also leveled attacks at the "FAKE NEWS @nytimes" and tweeted out his campaign slogan, "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" as part of his Saturday morning barrage.
