A federal judge in Honolulu today denied an emergency motion by the state of Hawaii to clarify what constitutes a close family relationship in the rules of President Donald Trump's partial travel ban.
U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson denied the motion in a written opinion, saying that clarification about the travel ban's rules should be sought from the same court that made the ruling: the U.S. Supreme Court.
"This court will not upset the Supreme Court's careful balancing and 'equitable judgment' brought to bear when 'tailor(ing) a stay' in this matter," he wrote in his judgment.
The state was asking Watson to clarify what the high court meant last month when it said the government can refuse entry by citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen who do not have a "bona fide" relationship with a person or entity in the United States. The court said a personal relationship must be a close familial one.
The state objected to the exclusion of grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, cousins and other relatives.
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