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Hawaii challenges family rules as travel ban goes into effect

Hawaii challenges family rules as travel ban goes into effect
Posted at 5:24 PM, Jun 29, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-29 20:26:45-04

Hawaii has filed a court challenge to the Trump administration's limitations on the family relationships people from six mostly Muslim countries need to claim to avoid a travel ban.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday exempted people from the ban if they can prove a "bone fide" relationship with a U.S. citizen or entity. The Trump administration had said the exemption would apply to citizens of Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Iran and Yemen with a parent, spouse, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling already in the U.S.

Hawaii filed an emergency motion Thursday asking a federal judge to clarify that the administration cannot enforce the ban against fiancés or relatives not defined by the administration guidelines.

U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson did not immediately issue a ruling.

The Trump administration's travel ban temporarily barring some citizens of six majority-Muslim countries from coming to the United States is now in place.

The order doesn't block anyone with a valid visa from entering the country. Refugees vetted and approved to move to the U.S. through July 6 are also being allowed in.