Whether the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decides to uphold a federal judge’s block on President Donald Trump’s travel ban or re-imposes the White House ruling, it is almost certain that its decision will be appealed at the Supreme Court in a petition by either the administration or its foes.
The three-judge panel in the San Francisco court was expected to decide soon the fate of Trump’s ban, after receiving Monday afternoon the Justice Department’s case to reinstate the restrictions.
The ban, put in place on Jan. 27, was blocked six days later by a US federal judge in Seattle, reversing Trump’s order and opening a window for travelers from the seven countries on the list — Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen — to enter the US.
Intensifying legal battles
Regardless of what the San Francisco court decides on the case, both sides are bracing for an intense legal fight that could end up at the highest US legal authority, the Supreme Court, for an appeal of the decision.
Trump promised his supporters he would overturn the decision of federal Judge James Robart (a Republican appointed by former President George W. Bush) to block his order.
The US president tweeted after the block: “The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!”

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 Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump
The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!
3:12 PM - 4 Feb 2017
  33,307 33,307 Retweets   156,669 156,669 likes
Nevertheless, the legal challenges and uproar caused by the ban have only intensified following its issuance 10 days ago.
Ninety-seven top US technology companies — including Apple, Google, Netflix, Yelp and Microsoft — have joined hands in filing a legal brief arguing that the ban “inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation and growth.”
Their complaint echoed the words of hundreds of protesters who have swarmed US airports in the last week and a half.
The tech giants noted that “immigrants or their children founded more than 200 of the companies on the Fortune 500 list.”
The Trump administration also appears to be losing the battle to justify the ban to average Americans.
A CNN poll released Friday indicated that 53 percent of Americans oppose Trump’s order. A CBS poll, also released Friday, showed that 51 percent disapprove of the order.

Source: Arab News