TheCable

Ann Donnelly, a federal judge, has granted a stay order on deportations for people who arrived the United States with valid visas but were detained at a point of entry.

This is following President Donald Trump’s executive order which halted issuing of visa to seven Muslim countries for 90 days and suspended the US refugee programme for 120 days.

Donnelly ordered the stay after two Iraqi men were detained at John F Kennedy airport in New York on Saturday.

Her order was sequel to a suit filed by American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) challenging the detention of Hameed Khalid Darweesh and Haider Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi.

Both of them were green card holders.

The stay would block the deportation of any individual currently being held in airports across the US.

“I think the government hasn’t had a full chance to think about this,” Donnelly said.

She said deportation could cause the plaintiffs “irreparable harm” by returning them to countries where they had been threatened.

The judge also noted that the plaintiffs included visa-holders who had already been approved for entry to the US.