President Trump drops appeal of travel ban blocked by Seattle judge

SEATTLE — President Donald Trump is now giving up on the travel ban executive order that was blocked by a Seattle federal judge.

Tomorrow it will be two weeks since Seattle Federal Judge James Robart, blocked Trump's travel ban with a temporary restraining order.

Based in San Francisco, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed a few days later.

“I think that circuit is, that circuit is in chaos, and that circuit is frankly in turmoil,” Trump said at his news conference today.

But the president has decided not to ask the appeals court to re-hear his appeal with a larger panel of judges.

Instead he'll sign a replacement executive order sometime next week.

That led Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson to tweet that Trump administration lawyers now recognize the president’s order violates the Constitution.

We asked him why the Trump administration decided not to continue the appeal.

“Because they're going to lose. It's defeat, after defeat after defeat. It is,” Ferguson said.

Trump says his new executive order will be tailored to answer the concerns that led courts to reject it.

We asked immigration attorney Davis Bae what they could do to make it work.

“One thing for example they could do is shorten the period of time. They could also suggest that this does not apply to permanent residents and citizens, and only people who have never been in the United States. That would be a harder executive order to overturn.”

We asked what Attorney General Ferguson might be looking for.

“Is it favoring one religion over another, does it allow due process, equal protection under the laws.”

Trump said the new executive order will be ready by the end of next week.

Cox Media Group