Protest outside JFK airport against Trump's immigration ban
Protest outside JFK airport against Trump's immigration banReuters

A Seattle federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Friday halting US President Donald Trump's executive order banning citizens of seven countries from entering the US.

Judge James Robart, appointed by former President George Bush in 2003, ruled the executive order would be stopped nationwide, effective immediately.

“The Constitution prevailed today,” Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in a statement after the ruling. “No one is above the law — not even the President.”

"It's our president's duty to honor this ruling and I'll make sure he does," Ferguson added.

The ruling was made at the request of Washington and Minnesota states.

Ferguson, a Democrat, filed the lawsuit three days after Trump signed the executive order. The suit argued that the travel ban targets Muslims and violates constitutional rights of immigrants and their families.

“The state has met its burden in demonstrating immediate and irreparable injury,” Judge Robart said.

The White House pledged action in a late Friday statement: "At the earliest possible time, the Department of Justice intends to file an emergency stay of this order and defend the executive order of the President, which we believe is lawful and appropriate," the late Friday statement read.

“The president’s order is intended to protect the homeland and he has the constitutional authority and responsibility to protect the American people," it continued.

According to 9/11 mastermind and leader Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the reason Saudi Arabians were chosen for the hijacking was because they were easily able to obtain US visas, whereas citizens of other countries were often refused entry.

Several previous plans for plane operations fell through because the operatives were not allowed in, and one of the teams in the 9/11 operation had only three muscle hijackers because the fourth had been stopped at the border.