US court upholds suspension of Trump travel ban

Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban remains suspended, after a US appeals court threw out a bid to reinstate it.

The ruling came in a challenge to the order filed by the states of Washington and Minnesota.

The president slapped a ban on visitors from seven-Muslim majority countries.

Responding to the ruling, Trump tweeted: “See you in court, the security of our nation is at stake!”

SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 9 February 2017

The US Supreme Court is likely to determine the final outcome of the case. The order banned entry for citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days – and imposed a 120-day halt on all refugees, except those from Syria, who are barred indefinitely.

Curbing entry to America as a national security measure was a central promise of Trump’s presidential campaign.

But in their ruling, the appeals court judges said the government hadn’t offered “any evidence” of security concerns to justify the restrictions.