Judge grants Hawaii’s request on refugees, expands list of relatives exempted from travel ban

HONOLULU – A federal judge says the government may not exclude refugees who have formal assurance from a resettlement agency in the U.S.

U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson ruled Thursday that President Donald Trump’s travel ban can’t be enforced against refugees who have assurance that an agency will receive the refugee and provide placement services.

His ruling also expands the list of relatives allowed in under the travel ban. Watson ordered the government not to enforce the ban on grandparents, grandchildren, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins of people in the United States.

Hawaii Attorney General Douglas S. Chin said Thursday that the court makes it clear that the administration “may not ignore the scope of the partial travel ban as it sees fit.”

The U.S. Supreme Court last month exempted visa applicants from the ban if they can prove a “bona fide” relationship with a U.S. citizen or entity.

President Donald Trump’s administration said a bona fide relationship would be a parent, spouse, fiance, son, daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling already in the U.S.

Hawaii successfully sought to include other relatives including grandparents.