USA:Legal Challenges To President Donald Trump's Revised Travel Ban

The Latest on the legal challenges to President Donald Trump's revised travel ban targeting six-Muslim majority countries

An attorney challenging President Donald Trump's revised travel ban says the Republican's anti-Muslim rhetoric is evidence that the policy was motivated by hostility to the religion.

Omar Jadwat of the American Civil Liberties Union urged a 13-judge panel of the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on Monday to uphold lower court ruling that blocks the president's revised travel ban.

Jadwat said Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric continued even after he was elected.

He noted that Trump's call for a "total and complete shutdown" of Muslims entering the country remained on his campaign website after he took office. The statement, was still online Monday morning, appeared to have been taken down before the hearing.

Judge Robert B. King said the case appears to hinge on whether the court considers Trump's statements or focuses solely on the text of the order, which is religiously neutral.

An attorney for President Donald Trump is urging a federal appeals court to focus on the religiously neutral text of Trump's revised travel ban rather than the Republican's anti-Muslim campaign statements.

Acting Solicitor General Jeffrey B. Wall told the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday that the court should not second-guess the president's national security decisions because of comments made on the campaign trail.

A 13-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is examining a ruling that blocks the administration from temporarily barring new visas for citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

A handful of judges appeared skeptical of Wall's arguments that they shouldn't give weight to Trump's campaign statements.

The judge's aren't expected to issue a ruling Monday.

Dozens of demonstrators are gathered in front of the federal appeals court in Richmond, Virginia, as a hearing is underway on whether to allow an executive order targeting immigrants from six predominantly Muslim countries to go into effect.

Rabbi Michael Knopf of Bend the Arc Jewish Action said on Monday that people were there to assure the Muslim community that they oppose the ban imposed by President Donald Trump's administration and they want to invite all Americans of conscience to join them in saying they oppose any ban any time. He said the ban has caused Muslim men, women and children to live in fear.

Attorneys for the Justice Department are defending Trump's executive order before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. It's the first time an appeals court has heard arguments on the revised travel ban, which was issued in March.

The court is examining a ruling that blocks the administration from suspending new visas for citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

Three judges appointed by President Bill Clinton will hear the Trump administration's appeal of Hawaii's so-far successful challenge to the president's travel ban that targets six predominantly Muslim countries.

The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will listen to arguments on May 15 at its Seattle courthouse. The 9th Circuit hears appeals from federal courts in nine western states.

A federal judge in Hawaii blocked the travel ban in March, ruling that it unfairly targets Muslims. Hawaii's attorney general argued the ban would harm the state's universities and tourism industry.

The three 9th Circuit judges who will consider Trump's Hawaii appeal are Michael Daly Hawkins, Ronald Gould and Richard Paez. Hawkins was appointed in 1994. The other two were appointed in 1999.

A panel of 13 appeals court judges in Virginia will hear a challenge to President Donald Trump's revised executive order targeting six predominantly Muslim countries.

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Judge Allyson K. Duncan and Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III will not hear arguments in the case Monday. Wilkinson's son-in-law is Acting Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall, who's arguing the case on behalf of Trump.

It was not immediately clear why Duncan isn't on the panel. Both judges were appointed to the court by Republican presidents.

Of the 13 judges remaining, three are Republican appointees and nine are Democratic appointees. Chief Judge Roger Gregory was given a recess appointment to the court by President Bill Clinton and was reappointed by President George W. Bush.

President Donald Trump is hoping that a federal appeals court will approve his revised travel ban that targets six Muslim-majority countries.

Attorneys for the Justice Department will defend Trump's immigration executive order before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday. It's the first time an appeals court will hear arguments on the revised travel ban, which was issued in March.

The court in Richmond, Virginia, will examine a ruling that blocks the administration from suspending new visas for citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

The revised travel ban has also been blocked by a judge in Hawaii. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments in that case next week.