Citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen stuck in American airports on Saturday night rejoiced after a federal judge ruled that the United States could not send them back to their home countries.
The stay of proceedings came just one day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order barring the detainees from entering the U.S. Sending travelers home could cause them “irreparable harm,” said Judge Ann Donnelly of the Eastern District of New York.
Here’s the full text of her ruling:
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
DECISION AND ORDER
17 Civ. 480 (AMD)
HAMEED KHALID DARWEESH and HAIDER SAMEER ABDULKHALEQ ALSHAWI, on behalf of themselves and others similarly situated,
Petitioners,
– against –
DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (“DHS”); U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION (“CBP”); JOHN KELLY, Secretary of DHS; KEVIN K. MCALEENAN, Acting Commissioner of CBP; JAMES T. MADDEN, New York Field Director, CBP,,
Respondents.
ANN DONNELLY, District Judge.
On January 28, 2017, the petitioners filed an Emergency Motion of Stay of Removal on behalf of themselves and others similarly situated.
IT APPEARING to the Court from the Emergency Motion for Stay of Removal, the other submissions, the arguments of counsel, and the hearing held on the 28th of January, 2017,
1. The petitioners have a strong likelihood of success in establishing that the removal of the petitioner and others similarly situated violates their rights to Due Process and Equal Protection guaranteed by the United States Constitution;
2. There is imminent danger that, absent the stay of removal, there will be substantial and irreparable injury to refugees, visa-holders, and other individuals from nations subject to the January 27, 2017 Executive Order;
3. The issuance of the stay of removal will not injure the other parties interested in the proceeding;
4. It is appropriate and just that, pending completion of a hearing before the Court on the merits of the Petition, that the Respondents be enjoined and restrained from the commission of further acts and misconduct in violation of the Constitution as described in the Emergency Motion for Stay of Removal.
WHEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the respondents, their officers, agents, servants, employees, attorneys, and all members and persons acting in concert or participation with them, from the date of this Order, are
ENJOINED AND RESTRAINED from, in any manner or by any means, removing individuals with refugee applications approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services as part of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, holders of valid immigrant and non-immigrant visas, and other individuals from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen legally authorized to enter the United States.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that to assure compliance with the Court’s order, the Court directs service of this Order upon the United States Marshal for the Eastern District of New York, and further directs the United States Marshals Service to take those actions deemed necessary to enforce the provisions and prohibitions set forth in this Order.
SO ORDERED.
Ann M. Donnelly
United States District Judge
Dated: Brooklyn, New York
January 28, 2017