7 February 2017 10:20 am
US president Donald Trump ramped up criticism on the judge who blocked his travel ban, saying Americans should blame the courts “if something happens”.
The US president’s criticism was aimed at US District Judge James Robart, who last week blocked Trump’s executive order barring citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US for 90 days, all refugees for 120 days and indefinitely halts refugees from Syria. The early-morning ruling from a federal appeals court was the latest chapter in a saga which began on January 27, when Trump issued a blanket ban on all refugees, and travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
On Sunday Trump tweeted “Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!” The ban, affecting people from seven mainly-Muslim countries, was blocked by Seattle’s federal judge on Friday, which means Mr Trump’s directive remains suspended and visa holders from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen will be allowed to enter the US until the full case has been heard. On Sunday, dozens of Trump supporters rallied in front of Trump Tower in New York, urging Americans to give him a chance --but they ended up in a face-off with a dozen counter-protesters.
PALM BEACH Compiled from AFP/BBC/CNN reports),