Stony-faced Trump attends Red Cross gala with Melania as Court of Appeal REJECTS White House bid to overturn Seattle judge's 'terrible and ridiculous' halt on his immigration ban amid country-wide protests 

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A federal appeals court has denied the Justice Department's request for an immediate reinstatement of President Donald Trump's ban on certain travelers and all refugees after a furious legal battle erupted. 

The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco instead asked both the state of Washington and the Trump administration early Sunday to file more arguments by Monday afternoon.

The Trump administration had appealed a ruling by federal judge James Robart that temporarily placed the ban on hold. The higher court's denial of an immediate stay means legal battles over the ban will continue into the coming week, at least.

The 45th president was confident that the Department of Justice would win its recent appeal against the Seattle court ruling while attending a ritzy Florida gala - but many expect an uphill struggle for the government's appeal.

And while Trump and First Lady Melania basked in the glitz and glamour of the party, thousands of US visa holders, encouraged by immigrant campaign groups, scrambled to enter the country before the shutters came down once more.

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A defiant Trump declared that his team will win 'for the safety of the country' while he attended a ritzy Florida gala with Melania on Saturday night after it was announced that the block on his travel ban would remain in effect for now

Trump's ban, was only in place for a week before it was undone by one federal judge in Washington on Friday. The Justice Dept sought a stay on the ruling, but the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said it would give until Monday for the ban's opponents and supporters to file comments on the case

The president was at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida when the legal mayhem erupted, and seemed furious his celebratory weekend was interrupted by the ruling as nearly 3,000 demonstrators protested him nearby in West Palm Beach

Acting solicitor general Noel Francisco argued in the government's brief Saturday night that presidential authority is 'largely immune from judicial control' when it comes to deciding who can enter or stay in the United States.

But others say that the prospects for the government's ban - which affected travelers from the predominantly Muslim countries of Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen, Iran and Somalia - are far from rosy.

It will remain blocked at least until Monday, when statements against the ban, from Washington state, and for it, from the Justice Department, have been filed in the 9th Circuit Court.

But even then, there is a battle ahead, as the San Francisco-based 9th Circuit is regarded as one of the US's most liberal courts, with 18 judges named by Democratic presidents, and only seven by Republicans.

And even the Supreme Court may provide scant relief for the Trump administration, as it will need a majority vote of five to overturn Robart's block.

The Supreme Court is currently tied 4-4 between Democrat and Republican judges while Trump's replacement for Antonin Scalia, Neil Gorsuch, awaits confirmation hearings.

In the meantime, thousands of foreigners rushed to enter the US while they still could - after some 60,000 of them had their visas 'provisionally revoked' by the ban. 

Even green card holders - who were confirmed as being allowed to freely enter and leave the country after initial confusion raised by the ban - have been rushing to return, in case they find their situation undermined in the near future.

MAD DASH FOR THE USA'S BORDER BRINGS REUNIONS AND HEARTBREAK

Colorado PhD student Hanan Isweiri and her one-year-old son (both pictured) were left stranded in Libya by Trump's travel ban after flying back to attend her dad's funeral and care for her sick mother. She returned during the ban suspension on Sunday

While the Justice Dept tried - and failed - to get the ban reinstated by the 9th Court of Appeals at the weekend, thousands of US visa holders from affected countries scrambled to get into the country while they still could - leaving behind friends, family and, in at least one case, their children.

Colorado State University PhD student Hanan Isweiri and her one-year-old son were stranded in Libya after they flew back to attend her father's funeral and care for her sick mother.

Isweiri, who has lived in Colorado since 2010, was unable to return to her husband and their three other children due to the ban. She found herself stuck in airports in Jordan, Turkey and Germany after the ban was imposed, 9News reported.

'I kinda really got scared that she wasn't gonna come back,' Isweiri's daughter, Manar, said. 'We've gotten a lot of support from my friends and other families around us, but it's just not the same when your mom is like halfway around the world.'

But the Friday ruling by Washington State judge James Robart that the travel ban was unconstitutional and should be suspended gave Isweiri an opening to return, and on Saturday the family got confirmation that - after being detained by immigration officials in Boston - their mother was coming home.

'The fact that my mom is now in the US and is able to move from Boston, Massachusetts to Denver, Colorado in a matter of a plane ride is extravagantly amazing,' Manar said.

Another academic whose plans to travel to the US were temporarily scuppered was Nima Enayati, 29, who has a visa to conduct research on robotic surgery at Stamford University in California.

The Iran-born, Italy-based researcher, who is also pursuing a PhD, had been prevented from boarding a flight to the US last week.

Iran-born, Italy-based academic Nima Enayati was stopped from entering the US last week, but flew into New York at the weekend. He is researching robotic surgery in New York for his PhD

But on Sunday he boarded an Emirates flight from Italy to New York, so he could continue his studies.

Enayati said check-in at the Milan airport went smoothly, but an airport desk employee told him 'she personally would be scared to go to the United States now.'

And on Saturday Ammar Alnajjar landed in JFK after finally being able to board a flight from Turkey, where he had been visiting his wife. He was greeted at the New York airport by his cousin, Fahd Alfakih.

But while the Friday ruling created an opening for Isweiri, Enayati, Alnajjar and stranded travelers like them to return home, for others it resulted in families being divided.

Rula Aoun, director of the Arab American Civil Rights League in Michigan, said one Yemeni family that had been blocked by Trump's ban used the window created by the ruling flew to rush from Egypt to New York - even though it meant leaving two of their kids behind.

The unnamed mother has an immigrant visa, while the father and two of the children are US citizens. However, the couple's two other young ones are still waiting for their visas to be processed.

They were worried that they might all be locked out of the country if the ban was reinstated, so on Saturday the parents and two US-citizen children flew to JFK airport in New York. 

Their other children were left behind with relatives in Egypt, in the hope that they would be able to get their visas and be reunited in the US before the possible return of the ban. 

'They just don't want to take a chance of waiting,' Aoun said. 

And while they flocked to airports to make their journey west, Donald Trump defended his administration's decisions and promised victory while attending a glitzy party for the American Red Cross with First Lady Melania.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday at the annual gala of the American Red Cross, which was being held at his the ballroom of his Florida club Mar-a-lago, Trump assured that his emergency stay would be approved by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

He declared that his team would win 'for the safety of the country' during an address.

The defiant president was at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida when the legal mayhem erupted on Friday, as Robart undid his command, which had been in place for only one week. 

He seemed furious that his celebratory weekend was interrupted by the ruling, as demonstrators protested him in nearby Palm Beach, Florida.

This marks the third week of anti-Trump protests since he was elected. Protesters took to the streets of West Palm Beach, Florida, as President Trump attended the American Red Cross gala on Saturday night

Armed officials guard against protesters who marched to Mar-A-Lago, Trump's private club. They gathered to chant outside as the president attends the Red Cross gala in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday night 

First Lady Melania Trump looked unfazed by the unfolding political drama as she stood by her husband's side and beamed while attending the ritzy gala 

President Donald Trump talks with Melania Trump as they arrive for the 60th annual Red Cross Gala at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida

Earlier, a Red Cross spokeswoman said the group takes no position on the executive order and strives to remain politically neutral, despite the event being held a venue Trump owned, reported CBS News. 

The organization, at request of local authorities, said it would 'provide basic support to stranded travelers affected by the order, including providing food and water at ports of entry; blankets, toiletries and other aid; and health, mental health and spiritual care services.'

Around 700 people were expected to attend Saturday night's ball, where premium placement next to Trump cost as much as $50,000, according to the Palm Beach Daily News. 

The lavish theme for the evening was labeled as 'Vienna to Versailles' and people working the event came dressed in period fashions, including hoop skirts adorned with ribbons and towering, curled wigs.

Musicians were hired to play the harp amid decorations that featured mini palm trees and candelabra as table centerpieces. 

The lavish theme for the evening was labeled as 'Vienna to Versailles' and people working the event came dressed in period fashions, including hoop skirts adorned with ribbons and towering, curled wigs (left). Decorations featured mini palm trees and candelabra as table centerpieces (left)

Melania wore a hot pink dress and sparkling teardrop earrings as she accompanied the president to the charity gala. The couple walked room firmly hand in hand, unlike earlier in their Florida trip when Trump is seen 'avoiding holding his wife's hand' 

The presidential couple were initially seen holding hands on a tarmac, but Trump abruptly let go to clap along with the well-wishers who had come to greet him. Melania reached for her husband's hand again, at which point he brought her hand towards him and patted it (left) before dropping it once more (right)

Trump's attendance at the event was uncertain beforehand but he later appeared alongside Melania as his administration tackled the ruling against his executive order. 

The legal move by Trump's team came almost 24-hours after a federal district judge in Washington suspended the so-called 'Muslim ban' causing Trump to fire off a day's worth of furious attacks, warning that 'many very bad and dangerous people may be pouring into our country'.

The frantic appeal filed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Saturday evening didn't immediately lift Friday's temporary halt on Trump's executive order barring certain foreign travelers, as the court said that it would give until Monday for both opponents of the ban and the Justice Department to file comments on the case.

Airlines will continue to allow previously barred foreigners to board US bound flights and the State Department has reinstated visas after the Court of Appeal's decision.

Trump said Judge James Robart's ruling was a 'terrible decision' and the country was opened up again to 'terrorists' in a tweet posted hours after Homeland Security announced it would no longer enforce his executive order.

Donald Trump's administration and the Department of Justice have launched an appeal against the Seattle court ruling that suspended Trump's controversial immigration ban. Federal judge James Robart (right) issued a ruling that temporarily halted Trump's order barring immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries on Friday 

Pictured: The White House and Department of Justice have launched an appeal of Judge Robart's Friday ruling that halted Trump's immigration ban. The appeal was filed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Saturday evening

The protests in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday evening is part of a nation-wide demonstration against Trump. This is the third week of protests led against the 45th president 

As his administration rushed to have their boss's policy put back in place, Trump attended a gala in Florida. 

When asked about the status of the current legal battle, he said: 'We'll win. For the safety of our country, we'll win.'

Although the basis of the legal argument for 'emergency stay' that the White House is seeking is still unknown, Department of Justice lawyers previously argued Washington and Minnesota didn't have the right to sue because they haven't been harmed.

The Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who brought the lawsuit said he was not surprised by the move and would keep fighting.

He said in a statement: 'President Trump's decision to appeal comes as no surprise, and we will continue to hold him accountable to the Constitution.

'We are confident the Court of Appeals will uphold Judge Robart's well-reasoned decision halting – immediately and nationwide – the President's unconstitutional Executive Order.' 

The Friday ruling by the veteran Washington jurist, who was nominated by George W. Bush in 2004, temporarily halted Trump's order banning travelers and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries.  

On Saturday afternoon, after playing a round at the Trump International Golf Club near his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump tweeted: 'Because the ban was lifted by a judge, many very bad and dangerous people may be pouring into our country. A terrible decision.'  

His post followed on from a tirade of tweets he posted that morning, warning that re-opening borders to the countries affected by the ban could lead to 'death and destruction'.

'When a country is no longer able to say who can, and who cannot , come in & out, especially for reasons of safety &.security - big trouble!' Trump tweeted on Saturday.

'Interesting that certain Middle-Eastern countries agree with the ban. They know if certain people are allowed in it's death & destruction!'  

Shortly after the Department of Justice had filed the appeal Trump tweeted that Judge Robart's ruling opened up the United States again to 'terrorists'

Anger: Donald Trump then asked why lawyers were ignoring the decision taken in a Boston federal court

On Saturday afternoon, after playing a round at the Trump International Golf Club near his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump tweeted, that the ban was a 'terrible decision' 

His post followed on from a tirade of tweets he posted Saturday morning, warning that re-opening borders to the countries could have severe consequences 

'The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!' 

Hours earlier, major airlines started allowing passengers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen to fly to U.S. cities if they had valid visa documents. 

Judge Robart, who has been on the federal bench for 10 years, is known in legal circles for his community service fighting on behalf of refugees. 

But he made headlines once before when he used the phrase 'black lives matter' in a federal case concerning police brutality by the Seattle Police Department. 

According to CNN, he told a court in August 2016: 'Police shootings resulting in deaths involved 41% black people, despite being only 20% of the population living in those cities.

'Forty-one percent of the casualties, 20% people of the population -- black lives matter.'

On Saturday morning, hours after Robart's controversial decision, the State Department announced it would be reversing visa cancellations for foreigners to comply with the judge's ruling on Saturday.

At the same time, Department of Homeland Security also said it was suspending any action from the executive order.

Major airlines, including United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, Qatar Airways, Air France, Etihad Airlines, Emirates, Spain's Iberia and German airline Lufthansa said they would allow previously banner passengers to fly to U.S. cities following the judge's ruling.

While judges have ruled against previous presidents in the past, including Barack Obama and George W. Bush, they were not known to have personally criticized judges for their decisions. 

The White House slammed the judge's ruling as 'outrageous' and vowed to appeal as soon as possible on Friday night. The temporary restraining order represents a major challenge to Trump's ban on immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries. 

Judge Robart made his ruling effective immediately on Friday, and Customs and Border Protection immediately alerted major US airlines that it will begin to reinstate visas.

The state's attorney general, Bob Ferguson, said: 'This decision shuts down the executive order right now. No one is above the law - not even the President'. 

It was unclear how the change in status was being received on the ground. No U.S. airports reported they were releasing travelers still held in limbo on Friday night and there were no reports of any passengers exploiting the gap. 

Going into the weekend, further chaos is undoubtedly expected as the two branches of government begin a tug of war battle over the law - with customs offices attempting to interpret directions at the center.

Executive orders are subject to legal review by a federal court when brought before a US judge. The government's bid to have the temporary restraining order reversed will now play out in court.  

Ammar Alnajjar, left, shakes hands with his cousin Fahd Alfakih after coming into New York's JFK International Airport on a flight from Istanbul, Turkey on Saturday when the immigration ban was temporarily suspended

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement late Friday night that the Department of Justice intends to halt the 'outrageous order' at the earliest possible time

The first statement from Spicer used the word 'outrageous' to describe Judge Robart's ruling (pictured)

However, a quick 12 minutes later, the White House issued another release with the same wording but removed 'outrageous' from the statement (pictured)

It took Trump's administration three hours to grasp how to address the Seattle judge's order. 

Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement that the Department of Justice intends to halt the 'outrageous order' at the earliest possible time but not as soon as Friday night.

Immediately after releasing the first statement the White House issued another release with the same wording but removed 'outrageous', reported CNN. 

The State Department is working with the Department of Homeland Security to determine how it affects its operations, a State Department official said.

Until the Department of Justice wins its emergency stay, previously denied travelers could have a small window of opportunity to enter the country.

Robart, who was appointed by former President George W. Bush, made his decision after Washington state and Minnesota urged a nationwide hold on the executive order that has launched legal battles across the country.

He repeatedly questioned the federal government's lawyer, Michelle Bennett, about the rationale behind the order.

Robart asked if there had been any terrorist attacks by people from the seven counties listed in Trump's order since 9/11. Bennett said she didn't know.

'The answer is none,' Robart said. 'You're here arguing we have to protect from these individuals from these countries, and there's no support for that.' 

The judge recently became emotional in a hearing over Seattle police reform and closed with a declaration of 'black lives matter', reported The Seattle Times. 

Protesters were gathering in Washington DC and outside the White House on Saturday

Donald Trump was at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida when his executive order was dismantled on Friday. The president waited until Saturday to respond to the matter through his Twitter

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said: 'No one is above the law - not even the President'. Upon the news of the appeal, he said he would continue to fight the ban

Pictured: The seven countries that were previously banned in Trump's executive order. These travelers can now enter the United States again 

Trump's order last week sparked protests nationwide and confusion at airports as some travelers were detained. The White House has argued that it will make the country safer. 

Judge Robart's decision was an echo of many citizen's beliefs that America has and will always welcome immigrants, including Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos who was one of the biggest advocates for lifting the ban. 

Bezos supported the lawsuit against the government that was filed in Washington, the same state as Amazon's headquarters.

Federal attorneys had argued that Congress gave the president authority to make decisions on national security and immigrant entry. 

Washington became the first state to sue, with Democrat Attorney General Bob Ferguson saying the order was causing significant harm to residents and effectively mandates discrimination. Minnesota joined the suit this week. 

Ferguson was elected to his position in November 2012 and took office in 2013. He won his re-election the following term.

He has plans to introduce legislation banning semi-automatic assault-style weapons later this year, the Seattle Times reports. 

After the ruling, Ferguson said people from the affected countries can now apply for entry to the U.S. 

Washington and Minnesota won a temporary restraining order while the court considers the lawsuit, which says key sections of Trump's order are illegal and unconstitutional.

In court, Washington Solicitor General Noah Purcell said the focus of the state's legal challenge was the way the president's order targeted Islam. 

Purcell said: 'We only challenged the parts that are actually affecting people immediately, which are the parts about refugees and the parts about targeting these seven countries.

Trump's order last week sparked protests nationwide and confusion at airports as some travelers were detained. The White House has argued that it will make the country safer

'The parts that have getting so much attention and have been causing such immediate harm to people, stranding them oversees and such, are enjoined right away.' 

He told the judge that Trump has called for a ban on Muslims entering the country, and the travel ban was an effort to make good on that campaign promise.

'Do you see a distinction between campaign statements and the executive order,' Robart asked. 'I think it's a bit of a reach to say the president is anti-Muslim based on what he said in New Hampshire in June.'

Purcell said there was an 'overwhelming amount of evidence' to show that the order was directed at the Muslim religion, which is unconstitutional.

When the Robart questioned the federal government's lawyer Bennett on the matter, she argued that the states can't sue on behalf of citizens and the states have failed to show the order is causing irreparable harm.

Robart disagreed.

Up to 60,000 foreigners from the seven majority-Muslim countries had their visas canceled because of the executive order, the State Department said Friday.

That figure contradicts a statement from a Justice Department lawyer on the same day during a court hearing in Virginia about the ban. The lawyer in that case said about 100,000 visas had been revoked.

The State Department clarified that the higher figure includes diplomatic and other visas that were actually exempted from the travel ban, as well as expired visas.

Federal attorneys had argued that Congress gave the president authority to make decisions on national security and admitting immigrants.

The lawsuit says Trump campaigned on a promise to ban Muslims from coming to the U.S. and kept up that rhetoric while defending the travel ban. 

Lawyers pointed to dozens of exhibits of speeches and statements Trump has made. 

'The executive order effectively mandates that the states engage in discrimination based on national origin and/or religion, thereby rescinding the states' historic protection of civil rights and religious freedom,' the complaint said, calling it a violation of the U.S. Constitution. 

Muslim men pray at a prayer and demonstration at JFK airport to protest President Donald Trump's Executive Order on Friday 

The lawsuit ultimately seeks to permanently block parts of the executive order that suspend immigration from the seven Muslim-majority countries, put the U.S. refugee admissions program on hold and halt entry of Syrian refugees.

Ferguson said the order is causing significant harm to Washington residents, businesses and its education system.

It will reduce tax revenue and impose significant costs on state agencies, as well as make it impossible for some state employees and students to travel, he said.

Washington-based businesses Amazon, Expedia and Microsoft support the state's efforts to stop the order. They say it's hurting their operations, too.