WASHINGTON — Rebuffed again by the courts, the Trump administration is weighing a new, more narrowly tailored executive order to restrict entry into the U. S. that would forestall further legal … WASHINGTON — Rebuffed again by the courts, the Trump administration is weighing a…
WASHINGTON — Rebuffed again by the courts, the Trump administration is weighing a new, more narrowly tailored executive order to restrict entry into the U. S. that would forestall further legal wrangling — even as the president himself vowed Friday to “do whatever is necessary to keep our country safe.”
One day after three appeals court judges unanimously refused to reinstate the president’s order barring travelers from seven predominantly Muslim nations, Trump again said his administration would ultimately prevail in court.
“We will continue to go through the court process and ultimately, I have no doubt we will win,” he told reporters at a White House news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
But he also previewed actions he said his administration may take “having to do with the additional security for our country.”
“We will not allow people into our country who are looking to do harm to our people. We will allow lots of people into our country that will love our people and do good for our country,” he said.
Trump said he could act as soon as next week.
In addition to a ban on entry by citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, the president’s Jan. 27 order also included a temporary ban on all refugee entries into the U. S., indefinite suspension of the admission of Syrian refugees and preference for refugees who are members of persecuted religious minorities.
The administration ultimately could rescind the order and issue a new one that would suspend only refugee admissions and the issuance of new visas, according to an administration official familiar with the internal deliberations. The step would allow everyone who already was granted a visa or refugee status to keep it.
But officials don’t rule out proceeding with the legal fight that Trump is publicly still eager to wage.
“The team is reviewing options to present to him. But ultimately it’s all short term anyway because we are going to prevail on the merits of the case,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer said.
