Story highlights The court kept in place a block on Trump's travel ban taking effect

But the ruling said some vetting reviews could take place

Washington (CNN) A federal appeals court's decision keeping in place a block on the Trump administration's travel ban was actually a "big win" for the administration because it means they could soon go ahead with reviewing vetting procedures, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told CNN in an exclusive interview this week.

The 9th Circuit on Monday ruled that the prohibition on the travel ban -- temporarily blocking all refugees and foreign nationals from six Muslim-majority countries from entering the US -- would stay in effect, dealing another blow to the Trump administration in its repeated efforts to put such a ban in place.

But the court also ruled that agencies could begin a review of vetting procedures from those countries, the original goal of the temporary ban, even as the courts continue to rule on the ban itself. The government has asked the court to make the ruling take effect immediately with a mandate, which would allow that part of the executive order to proceed.

Administration lawyers are still reviewing the court's decision, Kelly said, but he called it a "big win."

"If my lawyers knock on the door, tap on the door and say, 'We got it boss. We won on this one,' and that we can start doing what we started to months ago, then we're off to the races," Kelly said. "So I think, if it's true and I'm allowed to do it, this is a good thing for security of the United States."

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