Judge rejects request to change order lifting refugee ban

SEATTLE – A federal judge has rejected a motion by lawyers with the Department of Justice that asked him to change his order that partially lifted a Trump administration refugee ban.

Just before Christmas, U.S. District Judge James Robart in Seattle imposed a nationwide injunction that blocks restrictions on reuniting refugee families and partially lifted a ban on refugees from 11 mostly Muslim countries.

Robart limited that part of the injunction to refugees who have a bona fide relationship with people or entities in the United States. He also said that refugees who have formal agreements with refugee resettlement agencies were covered under his order.

The government wanted Robart to exclude resettlement agencies from his directive.

Robart on Friday turned down the government’s request.