Appeals court allows portions of Trump's travel ban to take effect

Nov. 13 (UPI) -- The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that President Donald Trump's travel ban on six Muslim-majority countries may partly go into effect Monday.

A panel of three judges, all appointed by President Bill Clinton, decided to allow the ban to take effect for nationals of Syria, Libya, Iran, Yemen, Somalia and Chad who don't have a "close familial relationship" with someone in the United States until the panel hears arguments against the case on Dec. 6.

Trump introduced the new ban, which also extends to North Korea and Venezuela, on Sept. 24 after an earlier version was set to expire.

Judge Derrick K. Watson of Hawaii blocked the third iteration of the ban a day before it was set to take effect in October saying it "plainly discriminates based on nationality."

The 9th Circuit's order said foreign nationals with "bona fide" connections to the United States including "grandparents, grandchildren, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins" currently living in the country can't be blocked by the ban.

The U.S. Department of Justice released a statement calling for the ban to be fully restored.

"We are reviewing the court's order and the government will begin enforcing the travel proclamation consistent with the partial stay. We believe that the [travel ban] proclamation should be allowed to take effect in its entirety," spokeswoman Lauren Ehrsam said.