Madrid, Feb 5 — A United States appeals court on Sunday, Feb. 5 rejected a request by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to reinstate a travel ban on entry to the U.S. for citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries.

This means the nationwide halt on the ban continues to be in effect for all the affected countries.

The Washington State Attorney General’s Office said in a Twitter post: “Trump Administration’s request for immediate administrative stay DENIED.”

Trump’s administration on Saturday, Feb. 4 appealed a decision taken by a federal judge the previous day to suspend the immigration ban on citizens from Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Yemen.

The ruling thus blocked Trump’s executive order on immigration and reopened the country’s doors to immigrants and refugees.

In light of Sunday’s decision, the Trump administration could now appeal to the Supreme Court, something experts consider likely.

The country’s highest judicial body is divided between four conservative and four progressive judges, as the Senate has yet to approve a ninth judge who could prove to be a crucial tie-breaker in a high-profile, and highly divisive case such as this.

The challenge to the controversial immigration ban was initiated by two western U.S. states, Washington and Minnesota, who contend that the decree is unconstitutional. The executive order is also currently being investigated by the U.S. Homeland Security inspector’s office due to the magnitude and quantity of complaints and protests of the measure. — EFE