Federal judge grants halt to Trump's refugee ban

A federal judge late Saturday granted an emergency stay of President Donald Trump’s order to ban the refugee flow into the US.

The ruling follows a class-action lawsuit brought earlier in the day by the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups in New York City that won a temporary stay of execution, ending the detention of those with valid visas arriving in the US.

The lawsuit was prompted by two Iraqis who were held by law enforcement officials at John F. Kennedy International Airport while trying to legally enter the country.

At least 12 travellers have been detained, prompting mass protests at the airport.

Trump signed an executive action Friday that effectively denies entry to refugees from seven “terror-prone” Muslim-majority countries, including those with green cards, who otherwise have permanent residence in the US

In the case of war-torn Syria, the president qualified the order’s scope by saying he would prioritise Syrian Christians coming in as refugees.

Canadian Prime Minister weighed in Saturday on Trump’s orders with a decidedly different approach. “To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada,” he tweeted along with a photograph of him greeting a Syrian child at a Toronto airport.

A spokeswoman for Trudeau told The Associated Press, he is “looking forward to “discussing the successes of Canada’s immigration and refugee policy” when he meets with Trump at the White House – a meeting that is expected in the near term.

Trudeau’s tweet has been received nearly 400,000 likes as of Saturday night and “Welcome to Canada” has become a trending topic in Canada