DOJ condemns ruling blocking Trump immigration policy

SAN FRANCISCO – The Latest on a California judge blocking a Trump immigration policy (all times local):

9:50 p.m.

The Department of Justice is condemning a judge’s ruling that blocks the Trump administration from ending protections for 300,000 immigrants living and working in the United States.

A federal judge in San Francisco issued a temporary injunction Wednesday that bars the administration from ending a program that allowed people from Haiti, Sudan, Nicaragua and El Salvador to stay in the U.S. temporarily.

The ruling comes in a lawsuit that contends the administration improperly changed the rules for the program out of racism.

DOJ spokesman Devin O’Malley says the ruling “usurps the role of the executive branch” and the administration did nothing improper.

In the ruling, Judge Edward Chen said ending the protections could cause great suffering and harm to families. He also said there’s evidence that President Donald Trump harbours animus toward non-white aliens. He cited Trump’s remarks disparaging Mexicans, Muslims and certain nations.

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6:40 p.m.

A federal judge in San Francisco has blocked the Trump administration from ending protections that allowed immigrants from four countries to live and work legally in the United States.

The judge on Wednesday granted a request for a preliminary injunction that temporarily bars the administration from ending a program that allowed 300,000 people from Haiti, Sudan, Nicaragua and El Salvador to stay in the U.S.

The program granted temporary protection to people because of war or natural disasters in their home countries.

U.S. District Judge Edward Chen said ending the program could cause great suffering and hardship to families. He also said there’s evidence that “President Trump harbours an animus against non-white, non-European aliens.”