People hold posters during a protest against President Donald Trump's executive order banning entry of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, outside the Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, the United States, Jan. 29, 2017. (Photo/Xinhua)
U.S. District Court Judge James Robart ruled Friday in favor of the state attorneys general of Washington and Minnesota on a lawsuit to overturn President Donald Trump's travel ban.
The temporary ruling appeared to be the most severe legal blow to the executive order Trump issued on Jan. 27, a week after he was inaugurated.
"The state has met its burden in demonstrating immediate and irreparable injury," Judge Robart was quoted as saying by reports reaching here.
"Judge Robart's decision, effective immediately, effective now, puts a halt to President Trump's unconstitutional and unlawful executive order. It puts a stop to it immediately, nationwide," Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson told a group of reporters Friday afternoon.
"What the judge announced today was nationwide; the president's executive order does not apply," Ferguson added.
Ferguson later insisted in an interview over the phone with Cable News Network (CNN) that the ruling is effective across the United States.
Judge Robart of U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, based in Seattle, was appointed by former President George W. Bush in 2004.
Trump's week-old executive order barred nationals from seven countries from entering the United States. The seven countries are Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
The order has been widely criticized both domestically and internationally.
