Appeals court denies DOJ motion to lift block on travel ban

Early Sunday morning a federal appeals court denied the Justice Department's request for an immediate reinstatement of President Donald Trump's ban on accepting certain travelers and refugees.

The DOJ filed an appeal of a judge's order temporarily stopping Trump's travel ban on Saturday night, saying it's the "sovereign prerogative" of a president to admit or exclude aliens.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco instead asked for the Justice Department to file a counter-response by Monday afternoon.

The higher court's denial of an immediate stay means the legal battles will continue for days at least.

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EARLIER:

The Justice Department is asking a federal appeals court to set aside a judge's order that temporarily blocked the Trump administration's travel ban.

The federal government's request for an emergency stay was filed Saturday night with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The filing asks the court to lift an order from a day earlier from a judge in Washington state.

The ruling from U.S. District Judge James Robart temporarily halted a Trump administration executive order that suspended America's refugee program and halted immigration to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries.

The administration on Saturday moved to suspend enforcement of the travel ban as the Justice Department readied its legal challenge.

President Donald Trump has lashed out at Robart on Twitter, calling him a "so-called judge."

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