President Trump issued two Executive Orders requiring a temporary ban on immigration from a short list of Middle Eastern countries. Federal District Court judges issued temporary restraining orders (TROs) that invalidate both presidential orders. The judges claim that the ban discriminates on the basis of religion and national origin. A three-judge panel from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals refused to reinstate the ban. Although they had no authority to do so, a handful of liberal judges have effectively shut down the executive branch of the federal government.
The air is beginning to clear. Five judges from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals have issued a dissent that obliterates the legal basis for the District Court rulings. This opinion is not binding on the issue but it does forecast a big win for the administration. In the federal court system, the District Court is the lowest. Appeals from District Court…