U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions looks during a news conference announcing the outcome of the national health care fraud takedown at the Justice Department in Washington, U.S., July 13, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration will appeal to the Supreme Court to block a U.S. district judge’s ruling on President Donald Trump’s temporary travel and refugee ban, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said on Friday.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson in Honolulu said the ban on travellers from six Muslim-majority countries cannot stop grandparents and other relatives of U.S. citizens from entering the country, and also opened the door for more refugees to enter.

“The Supreme Court has had to correct this lower court once, and we will now reluctantly return directly to the Supreme Court to again vindicate the rule of law and the Executive Branch’s duty to protect the nation,” Sessions said in a statement.