US president Donald Trump says he is considering a new travel ban executive order – and it could be issued as early as next week.
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US president Donald Trump says he is considering a new travel ban executive order – and it could be issued as early as next week.
It comes after an appeals court refused to reinstate the current suspended one, which controversially bars refugees and citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering America.
Speaking to a reporter aboard Air Force One, Trump said he was confident that his administration would win the legal battle – before confirming that a brand new order could be filed.
“We’ll win that battle but we also have a lot of other options including just filing a brand new order on Monday,” he told a reporter aboard Air Force One.
“Is that your plan?” he was asked, “could well be,” he replied, “but I like to keep you, I like to surprise you.”
Heading to Joint Base Andrews on #MarineOne with Prime Minister Shinzō earlier today. pic.twitter.com/4JFhyYdeHO
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 10 February 2017
The White House has said people with green cards would be granted waivers to enter the United States. But campaigners want to see more than just a re-writing of the order.
“The discrimination is really at the core of the problems, and so any order that discriminates against Muslims in intent or on the order’s face, would make it unlawful,” said Lee Gelernt, from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
“Regardless of whether lawful permanent residents were excluded from the executive order’s coverage.”
Trump’s travel ban has sparked anger in America and globally and the protests continue.
Whether there will definitely be a new order is unclear. The administration could still escalate the legal dispute over the current one to the Supreme Court.