(CNN) President Donald Trump has for months belittled federal judges on social media and tried to undermine their legitimacy in the public eye.

In a recent string of rulings against the administration's travel ban, judges have offered an implicit rejoinder by asserting their independence and authority to limit the executive branch.

None of the judges who ruled against the ban on nationals from six predominantly Muslim countries has referred to Trump's criticism of the courts. Their legal reasoning has responded to the administration's specific positions. Yet the language wielded has been has been sharp, even scathing, as they rebuffed the administration's arguments about national security. They have overall emphasized the judiciary's role in determining the law of the land.

In the latest decision, the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday acknowledged that judges traditionally defer to executive authority regarding who may enter the country.

But, the court wrote, "immigration, even for the President, is not a one-person show."

Read More