In a significant setback for the Trump administration’s first major attempt to carry out its anti-terrorism agenda, a federal appeals court Thursday refused to reinstate a controversial executive order barring travelers from seven predominantly Muslim nations from entering the U.S.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a Seattle federal judge’s earlier restraining order on the new policy should remain in effect while the judge further examines its legality.



For the record: An earlier version of this story misidentified Sally Yates, the former acting attorney general, as Nancy Yates.

The travel moratorium signed Jan. 27 stirred chaos at airports and protests worldwide as at least 60,000 visas were canceled, including those held by students visiting families abroad and engineers working in the U.S.