Trump travel ban in limbo as court upholds injunction

A ruling blocking Donald Trump's travel ban has been upheld in a US appeals court.

The ban, which targets six predominantly Muslim countries, was originally blocked by a court in Hawaii in March.

If passed, the executive order would have suspended new visas from Somalia, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya and Yemen for 90 days, while the US's refugee programme would have been suspended for 120 days.

President Trump's order, a revised version of an earlier attempt to force through the travel block, has now been stuck in limbo for nearly three months.

On Monday, the United States Court of Appeals in San Francisco upheld an injunction on it.

State attorney general Douglas Chin argued against the ban. Credit: AP

Back in March, a Hawaii federal judge heard Mr Trump's proposed ban discriminated against Muslims and hurt the state's tourist-dependent economy.

And state attorney general Douglas Chin argued the implied message in the revised ban was like a "neon sign flashing 'Muslim ban, Muslim ban".

Mr Trump's administration claimed the ban falls within the president's power to protect national security.

The latest court ruling did vacate part of the injunction so the president's administration can conduct internal reviews of immigration policy.