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Donald Trump says he will sign new 'Muslim ban' order next week

The President said at a press conference the only problem with the original order had been a 'bad' court decision

Rachael Revesz
New York
Thursday 16 February 2017 19:58 GMT
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Mr Trump called Mr Robart a 'so-called judge' for striking down his order
Mr Trump called Mr Robart a 'so-called judge' for striking down his order (AFP)

The Justice Department will not fight for Donald Trump's Muslim ban executive order which was struck down by a federal court - the President will file a revised travel ban instead.

Mr Trump said the new order would be "tailored" to the federal court decision in Washington state, which struck down the original order eight days after it was signed.

He did not provide any more details about how the ban would differ to the first one.

"The only problem we had [with the order] was a bad court which gave us what I consider, with all respect, to be a very bad decision," he said.

After 27 January, when the travel ban was signed, nearly all travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries were temporarily halted from coming to the US and Syrian refugees were suspended indefinitely.

Confusion was caused in these countries as well as in Mexico and Canada. Visa and green card holders, as well as dual citizens, were caught up in the ban. His unelected chief strategist, Steve Bannon, was reportedly behind the ban and had overruled members of the Department of Homeland Security who objected to certain aspects.

Judge James Robart struck down the order nationwide, and Mr Trump's emergency appeal was denied.

The President had threatened to take the case to the Supreme Court, but the Justice Department has decided to revise the original order and re-file it.

The President said he signed the original order to fight terrorism, yet nobody from these seven countries killed a single American in US soil as part of a terrorist attack since 2001.

He was also asked about the immigration programme for lone children refugees, called the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme.

"It's a very tough subject. We have to deal with Daca with heart," he said.

"The Daca situation is a very difficult thing to me. I love these kids. I have kids, grandkids. I find it doing very hard what the law says I have to do."

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