Story highlights Temporary stay extended for 14 more days

Expanded to include all Iraqi nationals in the United States

(CNN) A federal judge temporarily blocked the deportation of any Iraqi nationals from the United States Monday, setting a two-week stay on such deportation cases, according to the judge's order.

The ruling by Judge Mark A. Goldsmith stems from the same judge last week temporarily blocking the deportation of over 100 Iraqis in Michigan by granting a 14-day stay in their case. The ACLU followed up on that by asking the judge on Saturday to protect Iraqi nationals nationwide, not just those under the jurisdiction of the Detroit ICE office.

Goldsmith did so Monday, citing potential harm to the Iraqis if they were deported to Iraq, and noting "such harm far outweighs any interest the government may have in proceeding with the removals immediately."

Of the 1,444 Iraqi nationals currently in the United States, 85 have been detained and faced removal as early as Tuesday, the judge's order said.

"In its rush to deport as many immigrants as possible, ICE is putting hundreds of individuals who have lived in this country for decades in grave danger of being persecuted or killed," Michael Steinberg, legal director of the ACLU of Michigan, said in a statement. "For many families across the United States, this ruling is like a stay in a death penalty case."

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