A Federal appeals court in San Francisco has refused to reinstate President Donald Trump's ban on travelers from seven predominantly Muslim nations.

According to the Associated Press, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday wouldn't block a lower-court ruling that suspended the ban and allowed previously barred travelers to enter the U.S. An appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court is possible.

The AP story said U.S. District Judge James Robart in Seattle issued a temporary restraining order halting the ban last week after Washington state and Minnesota sued. The Justice Department appealed to the 9th Circuit.

Government lawyers argued that the ban was a "lawful exercise" of the president's authority and that the seven countries have raised terrorism concerns, according to the Associated Press.

The states said Trump's executive order unconstitutionally blocked entry based on religion, the AP said.

The AP added, the federal appeals court says the U.S. government hasn't shown a likelihood it will succeed in appealing to reinstate President Donald Trump's travel ban. It also hasn't shown that failure to reinstate the ban would cause irreparable injury.

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